Lady Kuchiki
by crepes.au.nutella
Summary: A saga that touches upon Hisana's past life, her encounters in Rukongai, and her eventual marriage to Kuchiki Byakuya. 9 January 2010: New Chapter Up!
1. Prologue

**Author's note:**

Well, this is my first fanfic, and it is about my favourite couple in Bleach! Yeah to ByaXHisana!  
I haven't gotten to Byakuya yet in this chapter, and I doubt I will until a few chapters later, since I really want to explore Hisana's character first.  
Do send me any comments, opinions or suggestions you have! I actually have a plot in mind, but I am open to ideas from anyone! And yes, about updates, I aim to update once a week so stay tuned!

**Currently playing:**  
Nothing can be explained - Bleach OST

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**Lady Kuchiki**

_Prologue_

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Pink petals floated down from the blooming sakura tree that spring afternoon. Hisana remembered leaning against the trunk of the tree, and closing her eyes as she took in the light fragrance in the cool, refreshing air. A little hand tugged at her sleeves, "nee... nee". She opened her eyes and looked down to see that little Rukia had managed to crawl over and sat herself by her side. Her big violet eyes met Hisana's. A petal had fallen onto the tip of her little nose. Rukia wrinkled her nose and gave a big sneeze, her little body falling back from the force of the sneeze, eliciting laughter from everyone around them.

"You little creature! Come back here to Mama!" Hisana saw her mother clap her hands and stretch them out towards Rukia. Rukia positioned herself back to sitting position and regained her grip on the sleeve of Hisana's kimono. "Nee.. nee.." Rukia's hands were outstretched towards Hisana. Hisana laughed and picked up her little sister, hugging her tight towards her chest. "I've got you now little Rukia." She said rubbing her forehead against that of the little face's, triggering giggles from Rukia.

She looked up and saw her mother smiling at her, her father beaming proudly as he looked on at his two beautiful daughters.

"She would have made quite a samurai if she had been a boy, that little tomboy Rukia." Her father said, sighing a little at the thought.

"But my dear, how could you wish for anything else?" her mother scolded gently, giving her father a mock look of disapproval. "Think of how beautiful our daughters are! How our Hisana has grown up to be such a lovely and kind young lady!" Her mother smiled at Hisana, her eyes glowing with pride. Hisana blushed at her mother's compliment. She lowered her eyes and pursed her lips together, holding back a big smile that would have been deemed uncouth.

"And how," her mother continued, "our little Rukia is so lively and full of tricks everyday!"

Rukia, who had been playing with her tiny fingers, looked up at the recognition of her name and hiccuped. More laughter from the family followed.

Hisana hugged Rukia tighter to her chest, breathing in that soft baby smell of her sister. She held her tight, as if clinging on to this moment of peaceful joy, that, unbeknown to her, would shatter only too soon.

--

It all happened very quickly. A servant had come forward and whispered in her father's ears, his face tense with anxiety. She saw her father frown at first, then his face turned ashen grey. He turned to her mother now, speaking in a low voice. Her mother, always composed and ready for all types of situations, nodded. She turned to Hisana.

"Hisana dear, wrap up Rukia in her pink shawl and collect your bag. We must go now." She said, keeping her voice as calm as possible.

Hisana remained there, perplexed. What was going on?

"Stand up Hisana! Can't you hear what your mother has just told you to do?" Her father hissed, trying hard to keep from raising his voice.

"Hurry!"

Hisana scampered to her feet, rushing to pick up Rukia's shawl and hastily wrapped up her sister. Rukia cooed, oblivious to the cloud of anxiety that was looming over her family. Hisana had only just began packing away the food on the mat when her heard her mother cry over to her, "Leave that dear. We don't have time for it. Let's go already."

Her father had drawn his sword, and so have the servants. They were standing in a semi-circle, blocking the path back to the mansion.

"This way Hisana!" Her mother motioned for her to come over to the other side of the path, the one that led to the lake.

"What about father?"

"Go Hisana!" Her father said roughly. She saw him turn back a little, glancing over at her, his dark eyes unreadable, and his large figure set in battle position. "Quickly!"

Hisana was scared and confused.

The afternoon sun still shone gently over the garden and the petals from the sakura tree continued to drift lifelessly onto the ground. The birds were still chirping away... but their previously soft, melodious song that had cooed Rukia to sleep earlier was now a twisted discord.

Hisana blinked back tears of fright and confusion, and hurried over to her mother's side. They turned back now with one last glance at her father before running, as fast as the confinement of their kimonos allowed, into the woods.

--

"Mama," Hisana whispered, panting in between words, "where are we going?".

"We are heading towards the junk. We need to get to the other side of the lake, to your uncle's estate."

"What is happening, Mama?"

"It has happened, Hisana. The peasant revolt."

"But why do they revolt against father? He has been very good to them. Uncle had said that father was very popular with the people on his estate."

"It was incited, this revolt. I am not sure myself what is going on yet. But when we get to your uncle's place, we shall know. We will be safe there."

Her father's younger brother had temporarily taken over the estate across the lake after the recent, unexpected death of her grandfather, to tend to things there while her father take over the new responsibilities as the head of the family.

They were merely minor nobles, in a prefecture far from Kyoto. But throughout the seventeen years of her young life, Hisana had known no wants. She was brought up the way a proper young lady of the era would be. She had taken classes in tea ceremony, etiquette, calligraphy and painting. She did not feel that her embroidery was outstanding... they were usually embroideries of little woodland creatures, instead of flowers. But they were popular among the servant-girls. In fact, the little pink shawl which Rukia was wrapped in was one of her "celebrated works". It was that of a rabbit, with two dots for eyes and straight rabbit ears. However much her mother had shaken her head in disbelief and amusement when she saw the shawl, she did admit that it was a rather endearing portrayal of a rabbit.

In a distance, Hisana could see a figure standing in the shade of the trees. There was a glimmer from something that he was holding in his hand.

Hisana heard her mother gasp.

"The other way Hisana!" She held on tight to her daughter's wrist, steering her onto another path.

But they were there already, on the other end.

Seeing no other way to go, her mother ran towards the stone steps that lead to a little cottage uphill.

"We must try to get to the cottage before the men catch up, and lock ourselves in, do you understand? This is our only chance of survival now." Hisana nodded, too tired from running and numbed from the absurdity of the situation to think.

Almost reaching the top, Hisana turned around to see that none of the men had bothered running after them. They were still positioned where they had been before.

They now reached the top, but did not stop running towards the cottage. Rukia stirred in Hisana's arms, the little golden necklace bearing her name, a gift from their grandfather to every child born in the family, shimmered on her neck.

Hisana looked up as her mother paused to take out a ring of keys from her purse.

"Mama," Somebody was standing in front of the cottage, walking towards the gate.

"Mama, it is Uncle."

Hisana's mother stopped fumbling with the keys and turned her head up sharply.

"Nee-san, what is your rush?" Her uncle asked, a small smile on his face.

"Hiroshi-kun," Her mother looked anxiously at her uncle Shi. "Hurry up and open the gate. The peasants are coming to get us."

"Oh really Nee-san?" Her uncle, now within an arm's length from them, asked softly.

Hisana looked at him, not understanding anything that was going on. Uncle was not acting like his usual boyish cheerful self.

"But they are already here, Nee-san." Her uncle said as a few figures emerged from behind the bushes and trees. "And there is nothing much you can do."

Her mother's eyes widened as realisation dawned upon her.

"You plotted this?" She whispered.

Her uncle, now standing outside the gate, had a hand on Rukia's head. He brushed a finger down her cheeks.

Hisana moved back a step, pulling her sister away from him, terrified. Incoherent thoughts swam in her head. Her uncle had incited the peasants to revolt against them? Her uncle had wanted them killed?

"How are you Hisana**,"** He asked, his eyes, cold, pierced into hers,** "**my dear niece!" He sneered as he suddenly took hold of her wrist, the other arm yanking Rukia away.

Hisana gasped sharply. "Rukia!!" She cried.

The sudden force that had pulled Rukia away had shocked the little girl so much that she started wailing. Hiroshi threw the pink bundle to one of the peasants and pushed Hisana towards them, making her fall onto the ground.

"Get rid of the children." He growled.

"Nooo!!" Her mother rushed forward, only to be blocked by another peasant. "Nooo... " Her mother cried, tears spilling out from her eyes as she began to lose hold of the terror that had been raging inside her. "Please Hiroshi-kun! Please! Spare the children. I'll do anything. You can do anything. But please spare the children!" Her mother begged, sobbing as she collapsed onto her knees.

Before she could continue looking on, sitting there on the ground, stupefied, a peasant woman began yanking Hisana by her hair towards the cliff. "Stop! Please stop!" Hisana yelped in pain. She tried to stand up and walk faster so that the yanking would cease but the confinements of her kimono failed her. Her eyes brimmed with tears from the pain.

Her mother and uncle now disappeared from view and the little cottage is reduced to a dot. The only thing she was aware of was Rukia, whose earlier wailing had weakened to small whimpers.

The woman let go of her hair roughly, pulling down the green and pink ribbon that had tied up the sides of her hair into a neat ponytail. Hisana fell and turned around, just to see, as if in slow motion, the pink bundle being thrown up. The peasant who had been holding Rukia drew up his sword, ready to pierce it through her sister's tiny body.

Hisana gasped, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She got up and pushed past the peasant woman, running over to knock down the man.

She caught Rukia. But before she could steady herself on the ground, the peasant who had just been knocked over slapped her hard in rage, pushing her over the cliff.

As she fell, Hisana remembered hugging Rukia close to her chest. Her eyes were shut. She could hear the gushing of the wind, loud against her ears, and Rukia's frail sobs.

Then, the world became blank.


	2. Chapter 1: Limbo

**Author's note:**

Thank you to everyone who has read the prologue of my first fanfic, to those who have added _Lady Kuchiki_ to their story alert/favourite story, and especially to those who have given me reviews! They were a great encouragement to me! Especially since this is my first story!

I am proud to say that after days of pondering, I now finally have a logical plot in mind! I can't wait to continue writing and sharing with you my fantasy of Hisana's story and her relationship with Byakuya!

I must apologize, however, that the story seems to be progressing slowly. I had wanted to keep away from adding too many details, but I just got too carried away in this chapter! So yeah, Hisana is _still_ in the real world by the end of this chapter but I promise we will get to see her in Soul Society soon!

Let me know what you think about this chapter! :)

(And if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes... please please let me know!)

**Currently playing:**

(Still playing --) Nothing can be explained - Bleach OST

Never Meant to Belong - Bleach OST

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**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 1  
Limbo _

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_Unkept, neglected, the charming garden built next to the lake burst out of its refined beauty. It had gone wild, overgrown, as nature took its course, creeping its way through, suffocating the last remaining cries of those who struggled against its crushing hands. The dainty pastel pink and purple were overstepped by striking red and black and any sort of scandalous colour one could think of. Nothing much is left of the paradise that had once been taken care of by such loving, meticulous hands. It was brutal. The crimson stains on the stone ground could attest to that. A swing, dangling by rusting chains, hung limply. Its head bowed in grief, lamenting in its breathless, creaky voice for the good old times. _

_Yet the ghost of its past charm remained. Pastel green and pink and yellow. The golden stitches bordering the soft silk glimmered softly in the twilight sun. _

--

"Nee... nee.. chan.. nee..."

Hisana, lying on her side, frowned slightly from the bundle that was fidgeting on her bosom. Her hands were still clutching tightly to it. She slowly opened her eyes, one hand pushing herself up to sitting position.

Rukia was in her arms, stretching her tiny arms as she gave her big morning yawns. Hisana touched Rukia's cheeks gently.

_What am I doing here? _Hisana wondered as she took in her surroundings. It was dark and snowing lightly. A little further down in front of her, she could see the lake, still and inky black.

She felt like she had slept for a long time. In fact, she could not remember what she had been doing before she fell asleep. The lights in the garden were not lit... and it was strange that none of the servants came looking for her, or to take her back, like they usually would when she had fallen asleep reading in the pavilion by the pond behind the mansion.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying hard to remember something. Anything!

_Gushes of wind. Falling. _Hisana frowned.

She looked at Rukia, and then proceeded to rewrap the pink shawl that was coming loose. As she unwrapped Rukia, she caught sight of a chain lying on her sister's chest. She tried to take it up, but as she pulled Rukia yelped and started wailing. Startled, Hisana quickly picked up Rukia and began gently rocking her sister to calm her down. "Sorry baby Rukia. Don't cry now baby. " She whispered, wiping the tears off Rukia's face with her handkerchief. She moved her eyes down to where the chain was and examined it. She ran a finger gently along the chain, till it reached the very end where it rested on Rukia's chest. Hisana gasped. The chain was not on Rukia. It was coming out from Rukia! _What is happening? _

_Wait! Where are Father and Mama? _She closed her eyes and tried hard to think. _Sakura trees._ _Rukia. Rukia was crying. And Mama.. Mama was crying too. The cottage. Her uncle. _Her eyes opened suddenly as memories started flowing into her.

There was a peasant revolt. They were running away. Father stayed back to hold them back. Her uncle... her uncle met them at the cottage. He had plotted this.

And Rukia. Rukia was going to die. She had tried to save Rukia. But the next thing she knew, they were both falling... and then... and then... there was nothing.

_Am I dead? _She wondered.

_And why is it snowing? Isn't it supposed to be spring? _

When Rukia's sobs had died down, she rewrapped her in her pink shawl and then stood up. _I will go home. _She decided. _Nothing is making sense right now. Besides, _she thought as she looked down at Rukia, _Rukia will get a cold if she stays out in this weather._

"Let's go home now, shall we, Rukia?" She smiled down reassuringly at the baby and playfully brushed her nose with her finger tip. Rukia hiccuped, blinking curiously at her sister. Hisana held the baby up and gave her a kiss on the forehead. The sisters' eyes met. Rukia giggled. Hisana's face softened. And then with great courage and determination, she headed towards the woods.

It was dark and overgrown, very much unlike what Hisana had remembered of it. _How come the lamps aren't lit? Where are the guards that usually patrol around this area?_ There was a clinking noise as she walked. She looked down and saw, faintly glimmering in the moonlight, a chain protruding from her chest. She frowned and put her hand where it came out, and tugged gently. For a second, a sharp pain shot through her body. She gasped and winced. Trembling, she let go of the chain.

_What had happened to her?_ _Had she __really__ died? _

She regained her grip on the bundle in her arms and hurried along the path, determined to go back home quickly so that she could understand what was going on.

The snow stopped and the ground was layered thinly with snow, shimmering faintly. Hisana could here the creaking sound of the snow under her feet as she rapidly made her way through.

She had reached the junction, where, she recalled sadly, her mother and her had been cornered by the rebels. She continued walking forward in the direction towards the mansion. She tried her best to stay on the path, but as the woods were so overgrown, and the snow had smothered traces of a once existing path that she had once known well, she soon lost track of where she was. It should not take her a long time to reach home from the junction. She told herself. Yet, after having walked for about twenty minutes, there was still no sight of any opening and the woods only got thicker and thicker. Hisana decided however, not to let the confusion and fear overwhelm her, and walked hurriedly forward.

Finally, she saw an opening in front of her and made a run towards it. It was one of those shacks that scattered around the woods, where guards used to keep watch. There were no lights through the windows, however. In the pale moonlight, she saw that the door was slightly ajar. For a moment, she felt chills running down her spine. She could feel a sinister presence looming in front of her, forming an invisible barrier around the shack.

Little Rukia sneezed. Hisana snapped out of her trance and looked down at her baby sister. She frowned. She hoped that Rukia was not coming down with a cold. She touched Rukia's tiny hand. Strange. She could not feel anything. In fact, now that she thought about it, she had not felt cold at all, despite the fact that it must be winter now, and she was still dressed in her spring clothes.

She made her way towards the shack, regardless, and pushed open the door. As soon as she took a step in, she started feeling again the same ominous dread and terror. In the centre of the shack, a rope was hanging down, and a chair was lying on the floor to the side, as if pushed over. Before Hisana could react to the sight in front of her, suddenly, at the corner of her eye, Hisana saw a figure slip by, and she heard a swishing of silk. Her blood froze. Had she wandered into the haunted shack, where just three years ago her aunt had hung herself? Her aunt, the wife of the same uncle who had plotted the revolt. The wife whom they said was mentally-ill. Who had once, allegedly, almost stabbed a dagger into her uncle's chest in his sleep. She had been quite a beauty when he brought her back to the mansion after their marriage. The last Hisana saw of her, she remembered, was a worn, haggard woman whose eyes no longer had the shine that marked a living soul.

Hisana swallowed and proceeded to take a step back. She felt a cold breath on her neck as she hit against something soft and silky. She screamed and scampered forward further into the shack. She turned around against good sense and her blood froze. Against the moonlight, she could see a figure with long flowing hair, dark red kimono, and a mask with brows and the holes for eyes tilted upwards, giving her a grotesquely mournful look.

Hisana instinctively turned Rukia's face towards her chest, hoping that her sister had not caught sight of the creature in front of them. She felt as if she had lost command of her feet as they were stuck to the ground, terror paralyzing her. She wanted to run to the nearest window and escape, but all she could do was stare wide-eyed in apprehension.

The creature opened its mouth, and gave a bloodcurdling shriek. Rukia cried and started to bawl and struggle wildly. Hisana tightened her grip on her sister, trying to keep her from slipping from her arms. The creature started flowing towards her, her white bony hands stretched out in front trying to reach Hisana.

Hisana moved back, her eyes still on the creature's mask, transfixed.

"Auntie?" She whispered.

The creature gave a dry, hollow groan.

Hisana felt the wall behind her. She made a dash for the window but before she reached it, the creature had swiftly slipped in front of her, inches away. Hisana screamed.

The creature reached out a hand and suddenly stroked Hisana's cheek. Hisana shivered and took a few steps back.

Her eyes were fixed on the creature's eyes. She felt herself being sucked towards the creature.

She was suddenly in a brightly lit room.

_"Please Hiroshi-sama... please... don't hit me anymore..." Her aunt was on her knees, her voice hoarse, begging frantically. Her hands were clutching the hem of her uncle Shi's robes. Her aunt's eye was blue-black and her left cheek was swollen. Her robe was torn with vertical marks, exposing the raw red of her flesh. Hisana shivered at the sight. Her normally good-natured uncle kicked her hard on her chin, sending her flying against the wall. Her aunt collapsed like a ragged doll. Hiroshi moved towards her, his eyes cold and apathetic, undoing his sash... _

_Hisana turned her eyes away in disbelief and shame. _

_Is this her aunt's memory? She wondered. _

_Is she a monster now, because... because of all the suffering that she has gone through? She felt breathless and there was a pain in her lungs. She felt herself suddenly overcome with hatred and rage, so much emotion that it was tearing her head apart. She dropped down Rukia and put her hands to the sides of her head, squeezing her eyes shut as if to squeeze those feelings away. She moaned from the pain and fell onto the floor, struggling to keep herself sane from the agony that was riping her apart. _

--

"There it is Vice-Captain!" Shiba Kaien nodded in response as he shunpo-ed towards the shack with his squad's third seats, Kotetsu Kiyone and Kotsubaki Sentaro. An eerie green light was glowing from the shack. Kaien pulled out his zanpakuto. Within milliseconds he had burst the shack apart and cut off the glowing green chain from which the hollow was sucking a girl's soul. The girl slumped forward.

"Kotetsu! Kotsubaki! Go tend to the soul and try to help her recover as much spirit energy as possible!" He shouted as he dodged the outstretched hand of the hollow.

_She sure is damn fast. _He thought to himself. _But not fast enough!_

He smirked as he shunpo-ed around to the back of the hollow and slashed her. The hollow screamed and withered as it dissipated. Behind the swirl of spirit particles, Kaien could make out the face of a woman. She was tranquil and had a slight smile on her face as she drifted up towards a channel of light in the sky. Kaien smiled. He put away his zanpakuto and turned towards where his third seats were.

"How is she doing?" He called out to them.

"She seems to be rather weak." Sentaro replied. "But her soul, thank God, is not seriously damaged. She should be fine after..."

"Receiving soul energy transfer at the 4th division!" Kiyone shouted, interrupting her partner.

Sentaro growled. "That was what I was going to tell the Vice-Captain, you copy cat!"

Kiyone glared at Sentaro and was just about to retort when Kaien pulled the two of them apart.

"Baka! Would you cut it out already?" He glowered at the two of them. His scowl scary enough to make them shrink back.

"Gomen Vice-Captain!" They said in a small voice in unison, looking down at their feet with an embarrassed blush on their faces.

Kaien approached the girl. Her face was pasty and her lips were purple. She was trembling incessantly, sweat dripping down from her forehead.

He frowned. "Given her condition I suppose we won't be able to give her a soul burial. We would need to call for the 4th division to give her a special transfer to soul society." He put a hand on her forehead and started transferring his spirit energy over, hoping to keep the soul alive.

"I'll give them a call now vice-captain!" Kiyone put up her hand enthusiastically.

"Vice-captain let me do it!!" Sentaro went down on his knees, bowing all the way down to the floor dramatically.

Before Kaien could say anything, a loud wail broke the silence of the night. Kaien furrowed his brow. _Not another hollow I hope._ Kiyone and Sentaro pulled out their zanpakutos.

The wail was coming from where the shack was. Kaien nodded. Kiyone and Sentaro ran over, ready to battle.

"Wait!" Kiyone gasped. She picked up the pink bundle on the floor and gently rocked the baby girl.

"It's another soul." She called out to Kaien while holding the pink bundle protectively away from Sentaro's prying eyes.

Sentaro looked over her shoulders to try to catch a glimpse of the baby as Kiyone walked back towards where Kaien was.

Kaien felt a movement of soul energy and looked down at the girl. Her face had recovered some colour and her eyes fluttered. Their eyes met for a brief moment.

"Rukia..." The girl whispered hoarsely before closing her eyes again, slipping away from consciousness.

"Operator... operator. Connect me to 4th division please." Kaien had whipped out his walkie-talkie.

"4th division. This is Shiba Kaien, vice captain of the 13th divison. Please send a special transfer squad over a.s.a.p. I repeat, special soul transfer needed..."

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Note: Okay, I hope you guys weren't rolling your eyes at the walkie-talkie. I thought it would be a little out of context (historical context) had Kaien whipped out a mobile phone, since the story is set in the mid 1800s. I am not sure if walkie-talkies were in use then but it is at least an older version of a mobile phone, thus more relevant to the time frame of the story. Also, we can perhaps assume that Soul Society is a few decades in front of the real world in terms of technological development? :)


	3. Chapter 2: Contemplations

**Author's Note: **

A big thank you again to everyone for reading my fanfic, for having enjoyed it, and for your wonderful feedback! I am sorry it took me a little longer to upload this new chapter. I have been doing a lot of thinking, mostly on how Byakuya and Hisana should meet, on Byakuya as a character, and his character development. He is really a rather interesting person isn't he?

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this new chapter! Please do let me know your opinions/suggestions! Btw, I welcome criticisms too if you have any. Just try to make them as constructive as possible. :)

**Spoiler Warning: **

If you haven't read the _Turn Back the Pendulum_ series from the _Bleach_ manga, this chapter contains some spoilers.

**Currently Playing: **

_Million Faces_ and _Autumn_ by Paolo Nutini

_Ten no Hoshi_ by Orisawa Fumiko (from Bleach Beat Collections)

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**Lady Kuchiki **

_Chapter 2: Contemplations_

* * *

Shiba Kaien stretched as he dragged his heavy body into the main hall of the 13th division. As if resonating the fatigue of his body, his usually spiky hair drooped all over his forehead.

It had been quite an expedition. Who would have thought that hollows are multiplying at such a crazy rate in the real world now? He wondered what was going on over there... Captain Ukitake had mentioned something about an ongoing revolution that was going to overthrow the shogunate any time. Well well... that means more work for the Gotei 13. Why can't these humans just live peacefully and be content with their lives? As if the occasional plus that they had to take care of during peaceful times weren't enough! Now everyone who's died was turning into Hollows!

And that girl... that last soul he had rescued... what was her name again? _Hisana._ Oh yeah. Poor thing. She was so young. He wondered if her death had anything to do with the political upheaval that was going on over there. She had been so light when he carried her onto the 4th division's stretcher. She had turned a little in his arms, her brows furrowed, muttering incomprehensibly. Just as he was wondering what her name was, he caught sight of the golden pendant that had slipped out from her kimono. _Hisana_, it said, under one single cherry blossom.

Kaien had ordered both Hisana and Rukia to be transferred to Soul Society through the 4th division's special channel, and that Hisana should recuperate in the 4th division's quarters before being sent to Rukongai. That girl wouldn't be able to survive Rugonkei in her state, he had reasoned, especially if she had the bad luck to be sent to Inuzuri**. **He had shaken his head at that thought. Sending her to Inuzuri? That would be insane. She wouldn't even survive a day! She had looked like she was from a good family, dressed in an elegantly embroidered pink and green kimono, with golden threads lining the hems. Her ears were adorned with dangling butterfly-shaped jade earrings that complemented her pale porcelain skin...

Kaien stopped to rap on the door to the captain's office. Before waiting for an answer from his captain, he barged in in his usual manner.

"Yo!" He saluted the shinigamis who were seated around his captain's table. Everyone stood up in respect and bowed, "Shiba fukutaichō". Kaien grinned. When he caught sight of the division's 5th seat, Kuchiki Byakuya, however, he marched up and gave his impeccable hair a tousle, even though the young man was probably an inch taller than he was. "Yo Byakuya!" He said cheerfully. Kuchiki Byakuya grimaced. "Good afternoon sir." He said through gritted teeth. "Come on man! Loosen up!" He winked at Byakuya and gave him a thumbs-up before turning to greet the captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, a kind but sickly man with long, white hair.

Byakuya tightened his fists to restrain from punching the captain in the guts. _What the fuk?! _Kaien was freaking getting on his nerves. Ever since he had joined the Gotei 13, and had had the bad luck to be placed in the 13th division under the Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien, he had been subject to his incessant verbal tortures. He didn't know how he had, if he ever did, rubbed the Vice-Captain the wrong way. On his first day in the squad, already the two did not get along. Shiba Kaien had marched into the waiting room, looked around, then shouted, "Kuchiki Byakuya?" Byakuya had remained sitting, startled at his whole name being called (it was usually "Kuchiki-sama" or "Kuchiki-san"), and unsure with how he should react during a roll call. Other shinigami graduates had turned to look at him. Kaien, taking their cue, stormed up in front of Byakuya and looked down with narrowed eyes. "Yo Kuchiki," he growled, pointing at himself with his thumb, "this is the Vice-Captain, Shiba Kaien." He was puzzled at the vice-captain's bizarre behaviour, but greeted him, nonetheless, the way he would with anyone - a nod of the head and a brisk "Enchanté". The boisterous vice-captain then went berserk. He pressed a palm onto Byakuya's head and leveled his face to his. "It is 'Nice to meet you, vice captain.' for you, you brat!" He had spat. Feeling a mix of confusion and humiliation, Byakuya had stood up immediately and done exactly as the vice-captain had told him to. Kaien then nodded, and patted Byakuya's head. "That's better." He said before marching off to other shinigami graduates.

After that incident, Byakuya acted as formal and respectful as ever whenever he saw the Vice-Captain. But that did not satisfy him either. Kaien would punch Byakuya in the stomach or tousle his hair as a greeting. And every time, Byakuya would grimace, holding his fist down. His Vice-Captain really was driving him to his limits. He didn't mind showing respect to his Vice-Captain. He was after all his superior. But then being subject to this sort of insult and bullying? That was something else. Byakuya was not going to let anyone step all over him like that. He suspected that he knew why Shiba Kaien was doing this. He knew how everyone judged him.

"Look at him, that's Kuchiki Byakuya for you. They say he is next in line for the leadership of the clan."

"Oh really? Gee, he won't even make eye contact! What a stuck up."

"Yeah and guess what? People say that he has his own room in the instructors' dormitory."

"To keep the little master safe from us commoners huh?"

Byakuya was the next in line as the head of the Kuchiki clan, the most powerful family among the four great noble families of Soul Society, making him almost a prince. So naturally, Byakuya's first year at the Shinigami Academy did not pass pleasantly at all. He was either picked on constantly by seniors, or stalked at all hours of the day by a group of obsessive girls. He responded hotly at first, but after a couple of fights which resulted in broken collar bones, a month of suspension from the Academy, and a gentle rebuke from his kindly grandfather, Kuchiki Ginrei, the present Captain of the 6th division, Byakuya learnt to mellow down his temper. He would sting back his provokers and cleverly slip out of tricky situations through his skillful manipulation of words. He also trained hard to prove to every one that he was not only a Kuchiki in name, but a real Kuchiki in ability and conduct. Thus, he held his head high and kept a cool demeanor, and carefully built his image of a smooth and well learnt young gentleman. He spoke with elegance and ease, and worked hard at school, striving for perfection in all that he did. One thing that he perhaps had not been able to do, however, was to truly bond with his classmates. He distrusted them for their superficial judgment towards him, and they in turn were in awe of him, too intimidated to get close to him. Thus, among the Captains, instructors and students, he had the reputation of being spoilt, snobbish and cold, something that his kindly grandfather, who knew the lively and passionate Byakuya, could not understand. Byakuya himself was fine with it however. He was glad to have everyone leave him alone, to enjoy some peace at last. That is, until he joined Shiba Kaien's division.

At that thought, Byakuya grimaced again. He had been training hard every night the last 5 years so that he could eventually surpass and thus escape Shiba Kaien by being promoted to Vice-Captain as soon as a position opens. He had long learnt the name of his _zanpakuto_, and had just mastered her_ shikai_. He was also quite adroit at _kido_, and had by now learnt incantations up to number 60, a rare achievement among 5th seats. Flash steps were of course, child's play for him, since it is something that he had trained for since young when playing tag with Shihouin Yoruichi, the biggest antagonist in his life next to Kaien.

"Okay, meeting's over." At the announcement of the end of the division meeting, Byakuya inwardly heaved a sigh of relief and headed towards the door. He was going to dine alone in his quarters and then head out to a garden at the outskirts of Seireitei to train. Nothing very special. Just his usual daily routine.

--

The twilight sun was pouring through a window at the 4th division's quarters. Hisana woke up from her slumber with a start.

"Relax, Hisana-san." A gentle voice by her bedside said. Hisana then felt waves of warmth and light flowing into her, instantly calming every inch of her body. The tension in her face loosened up.

She looked to her left and saw a lady sitting at the side of her bed, her hands held up in front of her as pale yellow light flowed out of her palms. She wore a white haori over her black robe, and her long black hair was parted in the middle, braided and tied together in front of her. She looked serene and gentle, and she was smiling down at Hisana.

Hisana smiled back. "Excuse madame, but where am I? And... what happened?"

Captain Unohana looked down at the young girl. Even though she had been doing this for centuries, she always found it difficult to break the news of death and Soul Society to unsuspecting souls. Especially those younger ones.

"Hisana-san, you are now in Soul Society. This is a place where departed souls from the human world go to." Captain Unohana paused as the girl's eyes widened.

"Soul Society?" Hisana mused.

"Yes," Captain Unohana continued, "and in human terms, I believe it is 'going up to heaven'."

Hisana could not believe her ears, her heart suddenly pounding heavily against her chest. She had to pinch her thigh underneath the covers to make sure she was not dreaming.

So this is heaven? She looked at her bed, the room, and the lady sitting next to her. Everything felt real, solid. She could just be sitting in a clinic in the little town that her family lived in. There was a garden outside her window, but that was about all that resembled how paradise was described as in the real world.

"So," Hisana whispered, "that means I am really dead?"

Captain Unohana nodded, continuing to eye Hisana with concern.

"But... but... this isn't making sense! And where is Rukia? Where is that monster... that monster who.. who... " Hisana continued to whisper frantically, restraining herself from rising her voice. Her thoughts were raging again with confusion, fear and anxiety.

Captain Unohana put a hand on Hisana's shoulder.

"Don't worry about your little sister Rukia-chan. She is now in another ward recuperating. I have made sure that my own men are giving her the utmost care." Captain Unohana said reassuringly. She could feel the girl's shoulders drop as she gave a small sigh of relief. "You will be able to see her in a week, when you are both ready to live your lives out in Soul Society." She added.

"And as for the monster you referred to, it is called a Hollow. It is a human soul that is evil, or has turned evil from immense suffering. You were saved by an expedition squad from the 13th division, under the vice-captain Shiba Kaien. He has already killed the Hollow with his _zanpakuto_, and thus cleansed its sins and purified it for reincarnation."

"So... " Hisana began slowly, "my auntie... she is not going to hell?"

"Well, according to the reports, the hell gates did not appear when Shiba fukutaicho cleansed her with his _zanpakuto_. In fact, it seems like she returned to her original state and has moved on."

Hisana felt her heart lightened. She gave a small smile and nodded. So her auntie is in peace now. Is she in Soul Society too? She wriggled and slipped a little more under the covers. She felt safe and warm here. Yet, at the back of her mind, a million questions left unanswered. Where are her parents now? Are they still alive? And Rukia... she is dead too along with her. At that thought, an image flashed through her mind. She was holding Rukia, and the two of them were falling... SHE had taken Rukia with her to their deaths. How did her attempt to save Rukia ended up killing her? Another rush of emotions took hold of her body. Hisana closed her eyes, squeezing back the tears that were suddenly threatening to pour down her face. She swallowed back a sob and muttered. "Madame, I should be the one going to hell... I killed Rukia... Rukia is dead now... because of me..."

She felt Captain Unohana's hand on her head now, stroking her head gently. "You did all you could to save her. You did what you thought was right."

Hisana shook her head, burying her face in the blanket. She could not help herself now. She began sobbing uncontrollably. _Where are her parents? What is going to happen to her now?_

Captain Unohana furrowed her brows. She gently pulled the blanket away from the girl's face and and put a hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief. "Hisana-san, listen to me. A soul with a strong will is never dead. Rukia-chan is with us in Soul Society right now, despite all the damage that your aunt's Hollow has inflicted on her, because of her strong will to live. And you are here too, Hisana-san, because you willed yourself to live, and you willed yourself to be there for your sister no matter what. You had not known what it would be like after death in the human world. And this uncertainty of death does not disappear once you are in Soul Society too. Souls in Soul Society are not immortal too, even if they are less susceptible to death than humans are, being purer entities as Souls." Captain Unohana paused, recalling with a tint of sadness at all the injured souls and shinigamis that her division had failed to save. "But if you believe in something strongly, your spirit lives on in the world you left behind, residing in the ones you love. And with your loved ones' support, you will also be able to move on to the next world, shedding away excess impurities and becoming purer and clearer."

"It takes a lot of suffering for good souls, who are called Pluses, to turn into Hollow." Captain Unohana continued. "But it also takes a lot of strength, for Pluses who have endured an equal amount of suffering to retain their original state of the soul."

"Under a normal situation, with all the suffering that your Aunt's hollow has inflicted onto you and Rukia-chan, any ordinary soul would have very quickly turned into Hollows themselves. But you did not. You two fought against it, and you fought well enough to survive. You have indeed done very well."

Captain Unohana looked down reassuringly at the girl. Hisana's face had softened, her eyes lowered in contemplation.

Seeing that the young girl has calmed down, Captain Unohana got up from her chair and said, "Alright then Hisana-san, I will leave you to rest for the night. If there is anything you need, just ring the bell next to your bed on your right, and someone will be with you right away."

Hisana looked up at the Captain and gave a small smile. "Yes, madame. Thank you very much."

Captain Unohana twinkled.

--

After Captain Unohana left the room, Hisana, tired from the earlier excitements, fell into a deep slumber again. When she woke up later that night, the moon was already shining brightly on the velvet navy blue sky. Little dots of stars were sowed all over and sparkled brilliantly. Hisana drew in a breath in awe and admiration. She had never seen stars that shine so brightly at night back in the living world! Nor had she seen a moon that was so big, so round, and so intense! She stretched a little and sat herself up. Her back strained a little from having lay down the whole day, and her limps were sore. She slowly got out of bed, holding on to the railings on its side carefully. She was in her undergarments, a loose white robe that barely protected her from the chill of the night. Her kimono was folded neatly and put on a chair next to the bed. A match box was lying next to the night lamp on the dresser. She pulled out a match and lit the night lamp, blowing out the match carefully after that. Hisana then looked at herself in the mirror. She still looked the same as she did when she was alive. Except perhaps a little paler. She took the comb on the dresser and began combing her hair, tying up the two sides of her hair to the back as she usually did with a pink ribbon that she found on the dresser. Her jewelries were likewise set up neatly. She washed her face with a basin of water next to the dresser before reaching for her earrings, necklace, a white marble bracelet, and her small sapphire ring. She put on her kimono and at last slipped her mirror compact, made from a white seashell, with her family crest carved on the back, into her pocket. She put on her little green slippers, took her embroidered silk pouch and headed towards the door of the room. She was now wide awake and decided to take a walk in the garden outside, unwilling to stay in on such a beautiful night.

* * *

_The author would like to acknowledge: _

Al-MayQueen ofthe Random Word, whose fanfiction_ Ten no Sou _inspired the idea of afterlife for souls in Soul Society presented in this chapter.


	4. Chapter 3: First Encounters

**Author's Note:  
**Thank you to everyone for having been so understanding of my situation! Here's finally an update! I had lots of fun writing it so I hope you will enjoy it too! :)  
Please let me know if you think that any character has been out of character in this chapter... I am trying to keep everything in my story as loyal to the original _Bleach_ series as possible.

**Currently Playing:  
**_Going Home_ -- Bleach OST  
_Here to Stay_ -- Bleach OST  
_Wo de Tian_ -- Hins Cheung

* * *

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 3: First Encounters _

* * *

Having been thrust from one abrupt situation to another within the span of a few hours of her scattered periods of consciousness, the sudden tranquility of the night and clear navy blue sky with its large gleaming moon felt all the more surreal to Hisana. She had made her way out of her room, along the quiet corridor, lit by a single lamp at the end of the hallway, and quietly slipped out of the little cottage that housed some of the non-Shinigami souls treated by the 4th division. There was a small garden outside the cottage, with little plots of flowers, lining out a path that reaches an opening, where in the centre two swings swung languidly in the night breeze, and at the side, stood a stone table and stools around it. Great ebony trees walled the backyard of the garden, standing tall and firm as if guarding the cottage and its inhabitants from the unknown behind them.

For the first time in her young life, Hisana was all alone. There were butterflies in her stomach as she took in her surroundings.She felt like she was in a fantastical reverie as everything, her situation, her surroundings, and even her existence felt so unreal and ethereal. She felt a combination of curiosity, excitement, awe, and a strange emptiness in her stomach. Her heart was pounding quickly and hard, so much that it hurt a little to breathe. Hugging herself tightly, she started on the path that the flowers had seemingly opened up for her. She stepped lightly on the stone tiles, stopping once in a while to gently caress one or two of the pretty flowers that were twinkling up at her. When she saw the swings, like a child, she ran over, excited, and popped herself on. She swung herself, pressing a foot to the ground and kicking off, closing her eyes and smiling as she felt the night air chilling her face, the winds blowing through her hair, and the large sleeves of her kimono fluttering like the wings of a butterfly. After a while, Hisana slowed down the swing, stepping a little foot delicately on the ground to stop it.

She gasped and sighed a little, slightly overwhelmed by the excitement that had washed over her, the heavy pounding of her heart, and the thickening emptiness in her stomach. She placed a small hand on her heart, closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. She started swinging herself slowly again, taking comfort in the rocking motion of the swing... The back and forth movement...

_"Hisana..." _She could almost remember how her dear mother sounded.

_"Hisana..." _She had always loved the days when she was much younger, when her mother would play with her in the family garden. And her favourite part was being pushed on the swing. Her mother would always push her gently, despite Hisana's protests that she wanted to go higher. Her mother would always reply that it was not lady-like, that it was dangerous. _"What if you had fallen from the swing and scratched your face? That would not be very hime-like, would it Hisana-chan?" _So when one day, her mother was in her study room reading, Hisana, then seven, snuck into the garden. She sat herself carefully on the swing, and then swung herself, higher and higher. She remembered the thrills she had felt with each falling motion of the swing, how it had made her giggle. She then pushed her foot harder on the ground each time, until that last time when she had pushed herself so high that the falling motion of the swing terrified her, so much that her hands slipped. She was thrown face-down one or two metres away from the swing, landing on her knees, scratching them very badly. A maid passing by had seen the whole incident and had screamed, shocked and terrified from seeing the young child being thrown with such force onto the ground. Within minutes, everyone had gathered around in the garden while a few maids immediately tended to the injuries on Hisana, not daring to take her into the mansion in such a state least her mother should see her like this. But her mother, having heard the commotion that everyone was making appeared before the maids could bandage up Hisana's injuries. Hisana remembered how her heart sank when suddenly all the whisperings stopped and everyone became very silent. They had made way for the regal lady that was standing behind the crowd. Her mother came sweeping up, her brows knitted with worry and disappointment. Hisana started crying then, no longer able to hold back from the pain from her injuries, upset that she had disobeyed her mother, and feeling very very guilty. "Mother," She had sobbed, "I am so sorry."

Her mother had not said anything. She knelt down and to Hisana's surprise, hugged her tight to her chest and stroked her hair.

At that memory, Hisana could feel tears brimming in her eyes, and a lump rising up her throat. _Where were her parents? What had her uncle done with them? Were they in Soul Society too? _

_Mother! Father! Please be safe! Please be unhurt! _

_I love you!_ Hisana cried frantically inside.

Suddenly, a great gust of wind blew by, pushing Hisana on her swing. _Mother? Father? Is that your way of telling me that you have heard me? _

Hisana blinked back her tears and opened her eyes slowly, looking around.

She was still alone. But strangely, as if the wind had seeped into the woods behind the garden, the trees were bent back, opening a path.

_That's strange, _Hisana thought.

She got down from the swing, and took a few steps towards the woods. Turning back to look at the cottage once more, she walked into the woods, along the path that had opened up.

The path was long and winding. And Hisana, impatient and curious to find out what was at the end, began running. She felt as if something was calling out to her, as if it was pivotal that she get to the end. Her heart was pounding very hard, and she was very much out of breath. She felt her lungs burning inside her. But she kept on running, unwilling to stop, unwilling to lose a second.

Suddenly, further in front of her, a blinding pink light exploded. She stopped running and shielded her eyes. The light felt warm and inviting, and she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Still holding a hand above her eyes, she took a deep breathe and began moving slowly towards the light. She reached an open area and gasped at what she saw. Thousands and thousands of shimmering pink petals of cherry blossoms were floating mid-way in the air, drifting languidly, lighting up the area. She reached out a hand towards them but they immediately parted ways, opening a path for her. The petals around her softened their blinding light, easing the pressure on her eyes. As if in a trance, she began making her way towards the center, searching, coming to the voice that was calling her.

She stopped suddenly when she reached the centre of the floating petals. The petals had left a circular opening. On the other side of the opening, several metres away, Hisana saw a figure standing there. The pink petals had made him visible to her.

Hisana felt her heart skip a beat. He was looking straight at her, his face unreadable. He was very handsome, with his high forehead, straight nose, a noble looking chin, and black shoulder length hair. He looked young and boyish, perhaps a few years older than she was? Around twenty years old? He seemed to be tall, and looked lean and well-built. He was in a black robe, a white sash tied around his waist, his right hand holding onto the handle of a sword. He looked like a warrior.

Unsure of what to do, Hisana remained where she was, her eyes wide opened, examining the figure. She could also feel herself blushing furiously. Her heart started pounding even harder than it did when she saw him take a step towards her.

Then, as suddenly as the pink lights had exploded, they were gone. In a gust of wind.

_He_ was gone.

Hisana stood there, bewildered.

--

Before Hisana could even reflect on what had just gone on, she felt a big hand on her shoulder. She jumped and turned around.

"Hey you there!" A man with short spiky black hair was grinning down at her. "Guess you don't remember me huh?"

Hisana frowned and searched her brain. "No." She said shaking her head, looking at him curiously. He had on the same robe as the young man she saw earlier.

"Ah well," He said with mock resignation, "I guessed as much. You're Hisana, aren't you?"

Hisana nodded, blinking her eyes in confusion. She was rather sure she had never seen him.

"I am Shiba Kaien, vice-captain of the 13th squad. I was the one who brought you here to Soul Society." He said jabbing a thumb at his chest.

"Shiba Kaien!" Hisana exclaimed at the name. She immediately bowed before the man humbly. "You must be the warrior who had saved me from the... the Hollow. Thank you very much sir, Shiba-san. I owe my life to you."

"Whoa... whoa... That was more than I asked for..." Kaien said, pushing his hands at her. "You don't have to be that formal. It was nothing really." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"Anyway, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? Weren't you supposed to be resting in the 4th squad's clinic?" He asked.

Hisana looked up and saw him searching her eyes. She lowered them and said quietly, feeling guilty as if she had done something wrong, "I was just out for a walk."

He raised an eyebrow. "Here? That must have been a rather long walk."

Seeing that Hisana was silent, and that her eyes were still lowered. He continued. "I came by just now to the clinic to see how you were. But you were not there and all the staff were up in a frenzy, searching for you."

Hisana looked up and widened her eyes.

"They could not find you in your room, could barely sense your reiatsu and had no idea what had happened to you."

"Oh no! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to! I only wanted to take some fresh air and to walk after having lain down for so long!" Hisana stammered.

"Don't worry," Kaien grinned down at the girl, putting a large hand on her shoulder. "I will just let them know that you are here with me. They were just concerned for your safety." He tilted his head and examined her. "Seriously, in your condition, you really shouldn't be wandering about. What would everyone do if you had fainted in some remote area and no one could find you or tend to you?"

"I don't know," Hisana murmured, "I am sorry." She did feel a little faint now that he mentioned it, after all the running and surprises that kept coming up at her tonight.

Kaien shook his head at her. He offered her his hand and clasped the other over her shoulders, supporting her.

Hisana smiled weakly at him, a faint light dancing in her violet eyes. "Thank you sir."

Releasing her hand gently, he reached for his walkie-talkie. "Over 4th division. This is Shiba Kaien, vice-captain of the 13th division. I have found Hisana-san. She is in sound condition." He switched off the walkie-talkie, tucked it back on his belt, and took Hisana's hand. It was icy cold. He held it tighter, sending some of his energy over to her.

Hisana looked up at the man who was holding her. She felt a little embarrassed and unsure. He looked down, seeing that she was examining him, lifted an eyebrow and asked, "What is it?"

Hisana felt her face glow. "Oh! Um... " _Oh no! How awkward! _She thought, frantically trying to think of something to say. "Are you a warrior?" She blurted.

He looked at her, perplexed.

"I mean," She continued flustered. "Is it your job to fight Hollows? What is this job? Why do they call you a vice-captain?" Hisana wished that she had stayed in bed tonight instead. Or maybe right now, a large hole could open up from the ground and swallow her up. She was making such a fool of herself!

"Oh!" He said, still looking at her curiously. "I am a shinigami. We are the protectors of Soul Society and the human world. We work to maintain the equilibrium between the two worlds."

Hisana knitted her brows, trying to understand his words.

"See, shinigamis are often described as Death Gods," he continued looking out now towards the lake in front of them. "Which is not exactly inaccurate. We do not take away life however. We merely come to the living world to send departed human souls to Soul Society, and to cleanse Hollows. And of course, for evil human souls who had committed grievous crimes during their life time, and are unwilling to repent after death, we send them to hell. We also protect Soul Society from invasions outside."

"Wow! So you are like a samurai! Who protects this afterlife kingdom!" Hisana exclaimed with wonder.

"Haha! Sort of! I guess you can put it that way." Kaien smiled down at the girl, his eyes softening at the wonder on her face, and the innocence in her eyes.

"We are," he continued, "us shinigamis, divided into 13 different squads. Each guarding a certain region of _Seireitei_, and performing different duties for Soul Society. For example, 4th division, whose members tended to your injuries, are in charge of providing supplies and relief to other squads."

Hisana nodded. "And what is _Seireitei_?"

"_Seireitei_, just as it means literally, is the Court of Pure Souls, pure souls referring to us shinigamis and the nobility of Soul Society. It is a secluded part of Soul Society, guarded by walls around it. Other souls live outside Seireitei, in different districts in _Rukongai_."

"And so you are the vice-captain of the 13th division! You are like second-in-charge! That's very impressive!" Hisana beamed at Kaien.

Kaien grinned. "So are you going to continue your walk? Or are you ready to go back to bed?"

"I guess I should go back so as to not make everyone worried." Hisana said softly.

"True," Kaien agreed, nodding his head. "Shall we go now then?" He asked, ready to pick her up in his arms.

Hisana blushed. "I think I am strong enough to walk. I should be fine."

"Okay then," Kaien shrugged. "Let's go!" He said offering her his arm.

Hisana took it hesitantly, unused to so much contact with men outside her family. She inwardly felt a little guilty, wondering what her parents would have said if they had seen her being held by Shiba-san.

Kaien walked as slowly as he could, making sure he was not moving too fast for Hisana. She looked very tired and was now leaning her head against his arm.

"We're almost there." He said softly to her. She nodded and obstinately walked on. Kaien found himself admiring her, her strength and her determination.

When they reached the door to her room, she suddenly looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Shiba-san, will I see my parents again? Did you see them when you were in the living world?" She whispered.

"Hisana..." He began.

"Do you think... do you think maybe I can go back to the living world? And find them?"

"Hisana," He said gently, kneeing down to level his face with hers. "I am not authorized to bring you back to the living world, however much I would like to help you. But I promise you, that I looked everywhere to make sure that I had not left any soul in the estate that you were living in. And," He paused, "and, I don't think I saw your parents. All the souls that I had performed soul burial on were dressed in servants' clothing."

Hisana looked straight at him with her big violet eyes, her hair a little dishevelled.

"They might have already been sent to Soul Society by other shinigamis, if they had died. Or they might still be alive." He continued quickly.

Hisana swallowed and nodded. She forced a smile at him and bowed. "Thank you very much for accompanying me back Shiba-san. I will be forever grateful to you for saving my life and Rukia-chan's."

Kaien stood up. "Don't thank me again, okay?" He muttered. He lifted her chin up, looking down at her eyes. She looked nervous and confused.

"It is my job as a shinigami. Good night Hisana." He said, finally letting go of her chin.

"Good night Shiba-san."

Kaien looked serious for a moment. Then he grinned and turned around, waving his hand as he said in his usual cocky manner, "Call me Kaien." Before Hisana could respond, he shunpo-ed out of the cottage and into the night.

--

Byakuya sighed as he examined _Senbonzakura_ under the moonlight. He was back at his quarters at the 13th division and was sitting on the wooden steps outside his room. It was on the ground floor and faced a sakura tree in yard. It was nothing compared to his room at the Kuchiki manor. But he was not complaining.

Even though he had learnt the name of his _zanpakuto_, and had performed her shikai a few times, recently he had not been able to control it. _Senbonzakura_ would simply burst into thousands of pink petals and drift about lifelessly. He had never heard her voice, nor saw her face. Whatever his sword had wanted to communicate to him, she did so by conceptualizing it in his head. But tonight, he thought feverishly, tonight finally, she showed him her face!

He closed his eyes and tried to remember the scene, clutching his sword tightly in his hands.

He had first seen her among the cherry blossom petals, hands outstretched at him, as if trying to reach him. His heart had pulsated rapidly when he finally saw her stepping out of the mass of petals. He remembered thinking how beautiful and elegant she was, dressed in a light silk kimono that shimmered under the petals' dancing light. The green and pink colour of the fabric complementing her pale skin. She looked very young, almost as if a few human years younger than he was in appearance. He had wanted to say something, to ask her questions. Oh so many questions! But she only looked at him silently, her large eyes searching. He wondered if there was something he had done that had dissatisfied her. _Why won't you ever respond to me?! _He had wanted to ask.

He had tried to walk towards her, to see her clearer. But just at that moment, he felt his vice-captain's reiatsu approaching. Reluctant and annoyed as he was, he had to leave. He could not take the risk of having Shiba Kaien discover his nightly training and his plans. That would just be too much of a hassle.

Byakuya frowned. What was that idiot doing near the 4th division's clinic anyway? It was not even for shinigamis!

He had shunpo-ed back home first, to his private garden. There, he had tried to call out _Senbonzakura_ again. But she did not appear. He tried to concentrate his thoughts, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to recall her face. And then, after much straining, her picture suddenly became clear in his head. And at that moment, his sword suddenly burst again into thousands of cherry blossom petals. This time, they were lively and strong, sweeping about the garden, whirling up into the sky and diving back down with equal force. He had raised a hand, trying to control the direction she was going. And as if they were suddenly synchronized as one, Senbonzakura responded rapidly to every command he made, racing gracefully in the air. He had felt overjoyed, his confidence returning to him.

"Show your face _Senbonzakura_," He had then commanded with authority. To his surprise and despair, the cherry blossom petals suddenly disappeared and his sword fell out of his hand onto the grass floor unceremoniously. He remembered wanting to kick his sword, to break it into two out of frustration. _Why are you doing this to me?!_ He had screamed inside. But then, the image of her came to him again, and he had sighed and bowed his head in resignation. _What are you trying to say to me, Senbonzakura?_

Byakuya stood up, holding _Senbonzakura_ close to him. He took one last look at the sakura tree, at a falling cherry blossom, then turned back to walk back to his room. He would try to reach her again tomorrow, he decided.

* * *

_The author would like to acknowledge:  
_midsummernightlove, whose fanfiction, _Senbonzakura_, with its idea that Byakuya's zanpankuto is a manifestation of Hisana, inspired the relationship between Byakuya, Hisana and _Senbonzakura_ presented in this chapter.


	5. Chapter 4: Senbonzakura

**Author's Note:**

Here's a short update for now! I wanted to write more but I am really tired at the moment. I just moved back into my apartment this weekend so I spent almost the whole weekend cleaning up and unpacking. The good news is that I have internet now! Yah! Just in time for the new _Bleach _episode! I really hope that that there will be more IchiRukia moments as it progresses! (Yes... besides a ByaHisana fan I also like IchiRukia a lot!) Oooh.. and I can't wait for the third movie that is coming up in December! I wonder if they will show it in France or anywhere outside Japan... ?

Anyway, I'll stop my ranting for now... I hope you like the (semi-)chapter below! By the way, I am planning to maybe move up the rating for this story to M... if anyone is against it, or underage, please let me know!

Oh, and also, Byakuya may seem a little out of character in this chapter... but I promise everything will become logical at the end... In case you are wondering, this is still the young adult Byakuya... not the mature one that we see in the manga/anime.

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 4: Senbonzakura_

_Byakuya could smell the fragrance of the cherry blossom petals as they coquettishly brushed the side of his cheek, dancing in the air in front of his eyes before twirling away with the wind. He reached up a hand to grab them, but they evaded him, slipping through his fingers giggling, mocking him. His eyes flashed and his body ached with vexation. "Senbonzakura!!" He gave an angry howl before shunpo-ing after the rapidly escaping petals. He was gaining speed... a little more... an arm's length away... he reached out his hand. Then, she suddenly appeared, materializing from nowhere, in front of him, the sleeves of her kimono fluttering in the wind. His eyes widened. He couldn't stop in time. He crashed hard into her, sending her falling hard to the ground. It broke below her, shattering into pieces. She was falling... plummeting into darkness. "Noooo!!" He cried. He tried to reach her. But all he could do was to watch as she faded away into obscurity, her hand reaching up, her eyes pleading for him to come to her. "Don't leave me!!" _

Byakuya sat up with a start. Sweat was dripping down from his forehead, onto his brows, and down his cheeks. He placed a hand onto his forehead to stop that painful throbbing in his head as he panted hard. The sunlight had already penetrated into his room, bouncing off from the white-washed walls, dazzling his eyes. He felt very warm and feverish. Kicking aside his duvet, he quickly untied his sash and took off his _uwagi_. He slid open the _shoji_ that opened up to the garden and stretched, taking in the crisp, chilly air outside. Spring was his favourite season of the year, when flowers start blooming in the Kuchiki mansion, adding colours and life to the solemnity that looms in perpetuity over it. A breeze blew through his long hair, cooling his skin and drying the sweat that had soaked his clothes and body that night. Today was break day for the 13th division, a rare reward for their outstanding performance this round in the real world vanquishing hollows. It was therefore very quiet this morning, as his camarades, Byakuya figured, were still sleeping. The sun was shining bright and Byakuya could hear the familiar chirping of the birds. Under the intense sunlight, every colour from the garden glared back with equal intensity at him, slapping him minute and minute away from his nightmare and back into reality. He turned around and looked at _Senbonzakura_, who was lying by his bedside. The hilt of the sword glimmered as his eyes met it. He stared at it hard, wondering if what had happened last night by the lake was real, or just a fragment of his imagination produced by his overheated brain. He slowly walked towards the sword, sat down in front of it cross-legged, and picked it up by the sheath, as if trying to establish some sort of connection with it by his intense stare. His head was still throbbing and he was getting a little irritated by the white lights of the sun that keeps getting into his eyes. He put down his sword and put on his shinigami robe. Picking up his sword again, he tied it to his waist. He needed a break from his division's quarters, and he wanted to go back to that garden, wanting to see how it looked in the day and needing the sunlight to verify that it did exist.

--

"This way Hisana-san!" Hisana turned to her left, where she thought the voice was coming from.

Hisana grinned and reached forward, her fingers brushing a few strands of hair. Before she could fasten her grip on them, they slipped through her fingers as a little girl screamed. "Hahaha! Hana-chan! She almost got you!"

Hisana could recognise that as Date Udo's voice. She turned behind her this time, carefully reaching forward.

"Whoa! That was close!" Udo cried as he swiftly dodged her fingers, jogging to her right now.

Hisana and some children were playing blind-man's bluff in the big garden behind the woods where she had been the night before. She had met them at breakfast earlier this morning, and they had begged her to go play with them, delighted with her as a newcomer and a rare one who was close to their age. Date Udo, a fourteen year old, who felt very much grown up, had not wanted to play with them. But when he saw that Hisana agreed to join them, and enthusiastically suggested that they go to a spot that she had discovered last night, he was curious and thus grudgingly agreed to come along. Hisana then led them to the backyard of the cottage, and into the woods. The children were skipping eagerly next to her, excited about their adventure. After much searching and turning, they finally broke out of the woods and into a big open area with a large lake in front of them. Hisana was surprised to find that rather than just a remote opening, it was actually a big garden, with pavilions near the lake and benches around it. The children ran about the garden excitedly, marvelling at its beauty. "Hisana-san, let's make this our private paradise, okay?" One of the little children had cried, tugging at her sleeve. "We must not let the adults know about this place!" Every one cheered. Someone then suggested that they play blind-man's bluff. Hisana had wanted to excuse herself from the game, as she did not like rough games very much, but the children would hear no excuse. They then decided who would be "it" with scissors, paper and stone. And much to Hisana's dread, at the end of 5 rounds, it was decided that she was "it". She bent down to let a little girl tie a cloth over her eyes and felt extremely stupid as she groped around, turning awkwardly and sometimes almost tripping on the hem of her kimono. However, after a while, she began enjoying herself, and felt no shame in lifting her kimono and running around, laughing with the children.

"You cannot catch me!! Hahaha!" Udo taunted, tapping her on her shoulder before swiftly running to the other side as she turned at his touch.

"We'll see about that Udo-kun!" Hisana exclaimed haughtily.

She turned and turned, trying to catch him as he lightly tapped each side of her shoulders. She heard him run away laughing. Feeling competitive all of a sudden, she ran towards his laughter, her hands outstretched.

Her hands touched something soft and silky. Hisana grinned. "Ha! I caught someone!" She cried triumphantly. She gripped the clothes of the person in front of her. He was definitely not one of the children as he was much taller than her. _Hee Udo-kun, says who I can't catch you?_ Hisana thought gleefully. She reached up the other hand to touch his face, feeling underneath her skin his smooth and cool complexion, and a straight nose...? Hisana frowned. Udo-kun did not have a straight nose. He had a snub-nose and his skin was a little blemished.

"Senbonzakura?" A voice that was foreign to Hisana whispered.

"Udo-kun...?" Hisana stammered.

She suddenly realised that everyone was very quiet. The children had stopped their running and screaming.

"Um Hisana... " She could hear Udo mutter behind her. Her blood froze. "You didn't catch me."

--

Byakuya stood tensely, rooted to the ground as the girl in front of him held onto his waist tightly, one hand touching his face. The children around them were looking at him wide-eyed, their mouths hanging open. He was very taken aback too, to suddenly be in such a situation.

He had been looking out at the lake after arriving at the garden, which, much to his annoyance, was already occupied by a group of rowdy kids. He had stayed as far away from them as possible, wanting to be left alone to contemplate. He had looked over in irritation when he heard an ear-piercing scream, ready to go forward to release some _reiatsu_ and give them his icy stare to scare them away when he caught sight of the older girl in the centre. His heart had started to pound heavily. It was _her_. The same girl that he had seen last night, he was sure of it. She was dressed in the same silky kimono, had the same height and the same hair that was dressed the same way. But wait, wasn't she _Senbonzakura_? He walked towards the children, keeping both eyes on the girl, clutching his hands into fists, trying to hold himself back. Her eyes were bound and she was twirling gracefully in amidst the group of children, laughing joyfully, her hands stretched out in front of her. A boy was teasing her as she turned around and around. A few petals of the blooming cherry blossoms over head were falling around them, making her look, in his eyes, as if she was dancing in their midst.

He was so intent on and captivated by the sight in front of him that he failed to react when she began running in his direction. His feelings only returned, and quite sharply too, when he felt her grip on him, her breath against his face as she turned her head up. His eyes had widened when he felt her touch on his face. All at once, for some inexplicable reason, Byakuya felt himself melting under her soft touch, his mind in disarray, and his heart hammering uncontrollably against his chest.

"Senbonzakura?" He had blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Udo-kun...?" The girl had asked softly. The said Udo had stood behind her, his face white when he saw Byakuya, a full-fledged shinigami in front of him.

"Um Hisana... You didn't catch me."

_Hisana?_ Byakuya thought. _Hisana? _The girl withdrew her hands from him sharply with a gasp. She reached up her hands to the back of her head to frantically undo the cloth around her eyes. When her fingers failed to undo the knot, she pulled away the cloth with frustration, all the while trembling a little. When she finally took off the cloth and looked up to meet his eyes, she froze, her brows turned up looking worried and scared, and her big violet eyes opened wide. He stood stiffly in front of her as she quickly bowed and stammered words of apology.

"Oh my god! Excuse me sir! I didn't mean to... I didn't know! I am so sorry!"

Byakuya did not know what to do, or how to react. He felt like kicking himself for having given in to his emotions, and rashly coming to the conclusion that she was _Senbonzakura_. Of course, now that he was so near her, he could sense a faint _reiatsu_ coming from her, and _swords aren't supposed to have reiatsu because they are part of you_. At the same time, he thought, taking in a short breath, he could not help being captivated still, by her big violet eyes, her pale porcelain-like skin and her rosy cheeks. He felt all at once an array of conflicting emotions - betrayal, anger, but also, curiosity and wonder. He kept his eyes locked with the girl's, though he quickly clouded his up to hide any emotion he might have.

"It's alright." He said curtly before turning to walk towards the other direction. He could hear the children whispering behind him and he felt his face heat up as he felt the girl's eyes on him. He wanted to turn back, to look at her again, to find out who she was. But his feet, obeying the rationality of his mind kept on walking away. Her _reiatsu_ wasn't even strong enough for her to be a member of the fourth division. She was probably just a mere soul who was staying at the clinic near the garden. No one of importance. No one that he, Kuchiki Byakuya, should be concerned with.

"Sir! Please wait!" He heard her call him.

_No! Don't turn around!_ His voice of reason screamed in his head.

Before his emotions could reason with him, he quickly shunpo-ed away.

He reached the Kuchiki estate within minutes, stopping in front of the gates. When the guards saw him, they quickly bowed and greeted him, "Byakuya-sama, welcome home."

He nodded at them and walked in, climbing up the long stairway towards his grandfather's quarters. He found his grandfather sitting outside in his garden, having his morning tea.

"Good morning grandfather." He bowed.

"Good morning Byakuya." His grandfather replied smiling at his grandson. "I heard the 13th division is taking the day off."

"Yes grandfather."

"Would you like to join me for tea then? The sakura trees are blooming quite beautifully this year."

Byakuya nodded and sat on the cushion that a servant nearby had quickly brought over. He took the cup of tea that his grandfather handed him, respectfully, and took slow breaths to calm the beating of his heart. He didn't want to be alone, so he decided to pay his grandfather a visit, knowing that his grandfather would want him to stay the whole day.

"Grandfather, don't you have work to do at your division today?" He asked.

"Well, my lieutenant is taking over today."

"Why is that? Are you sick grandfather?"

"No Byakuya, my dear boy! I just want to be home on your day off. We barely spend time together since you joined the Gotei 13."

Byakuya looked down in silence.

"Thank you grandfather for your concern and thoughtfulness. I feel truly honoured."

The older Kuchiki nodded, sighing a little at his grandson's formality. He wondered how long ago it was, when Byakuya was still the little Bya-bo, when his face was still free from this mask that he now wore everyday. He had become stiff and formal, acting quite unlike his age, even for a noble man. Perhaps if his parents had lived a little longer...

He took a glance at his grandson. He was as usual sitting rigidly, his back straight and his eyes lowered respectfully. He looked closely and saw that however, Byakuya's pale, cool face was unusually flushed today. _Now what has that boy been up to? _

"Is something wrong Byakuya?" Lord Kuchiki asked.

"Nothing grandfather, nothing at all." Byakuya replied.

"Well then, how has everything been going? You told me last month that you were starting to train for _Senbonzakura_'s _shikai_. How has your training been?"

"It is still in progress, grandfather."

"I see. Would you like to show me how much you have mastered?" Kuchiki Ginrei asked, taking a sip from his cup.

"Yes, of course, grandfather." Byakuya responded expressionlessly.

_That's it. I'll have to make a fool of myself in front of grandfather. Please Senbonzakura, Whatever mood you are in right now, please please just this once don't fail me. _

Byakuya stood up and felt around the left side of his waist for _Senbonzakura_. His hand felt nothing. Byakuya felt his mouth drop uncharacteristically.

"Er... " He looked down to see that his sword was gone. He hadn't felt so silly and clumsy for years.

"I see you don't have _Senbonzakura_ with you."

"I... I believe I left _Senbonzakura_ at my quarters in the 13th division grandfather." Byakuya replied quickly. "I didn't think it was necessary to bring her with me on my day off."

"Very well then. Sit down and take a break today." His grandfather said, raising an eyebrow. It was not like Byakuya to be so... uncollected.

He watched as the young man sat down restlessly on his seat, his brows furrowed. The last time he had perhaps seen Byakuya like this was when Shihouin Yoruichi was still in Soul Society. She had always made a point to vex him during her visits. At that thought, Ginrei chuckled. _That was indeed many years ago, when Byakuya was still a growing boy. _

--

Hisana picked up the sword that had fallen from the young man's waist. She swore that had seen the knot tying the sword to his sash undo itself and the sword slipping unnoticed away from her owner. The sword glimmered under the sunlight. The children behind her were still standing there, stunned from what had happened.


	6. Chapter 5: Just Hisana

**Author's Note:**

You guys are wonderful!! 8 comments for the last chapter!! Thank you so much! I am so glad that you all enjoyed it!!  
Again, this chapter deals with a lot of character development for Hisana and Byakuya.  
Let me know what you think about their characters, or if you have any suggestions! :)

**IMPORTANT: **

**In order for me to continue with this story, I need your help (because I am kind of stuck right now)!  
I have set up a poll so please vote for what you think should happen between Byakuya and Hisana in the next chapter!  
And if there are things that you want to elaborate on, you can either post a review or send me a PM. **

**Thank you everyone! **

* * *

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 5: Just Hisana_

* * *

"Was that a shinigami?" Hana asked, finally breaking the silence, tugging at Hisana's robe.

"Of course baka! They're the only ones with the black robes!" Udo snapped at the little girl.

Hana stuck out a tongue at him. She quickly looked up at Hisana to see if the older girl was going to tell Udo-kun off for being rude. But nee-san did not seem to be paying attention to them at all. Her eyes were cast down and she looked a little sad. Hana frowned and narrowed her eyes, wondering why the cheerful nee-san was so quiet all of a sudden.

--

Still holding onto the sword and gazing at it, Hisana felt a a mix of emotions. It was him. The young man she had seen last night. She had felt very surprised to see him there, despite being extremely mortified too at the same time for having ran straight into him. Not the mention, Hisana gulped, clutching onto him like that and touching him. _What will he think of me now?_

She had wanted to talk to him, to find out who he was, this mysterious man who always appeared when she least expected it. Their eyes had met for a moment, and as Hisana gazed into his which were a beautiful steel-grey colour, she had felt as if she was let in to the deepest corners of his soul. His eyes were searching, questioning, and they emitted a soft wonder that warmed Hisana's heart. But he only let himself stay vulnerable for the briefest moment, before barricading himself. His hard stare shattered the blissful reverie they shared, his cold tone then drove poor Hisana to confusion and despair, and his abrupt departure finally caused Hisana's heart to stop beating momentarily, before falling into the darkest depth that it had ever known.

_Was there something wrong with me? _

_Maybe he was angry that I had disturbed him? _

_Why didn't he stop when I called out to him? _

Hisana's last thought made her cringe.

She felt very naked, very exposed, having let herself loose for once, let herself have fun, let herself gaze, unrestrained into the man's eyes for so long... and he, having been allowed to see her in her barest state turned his back on her and pierced her with his sharp words.

Hisana blinked and gathered up herself. Turning back and looking up, she smiled at the children and said in a cheerful tone, "Well! Who would have thought that even Mr. Shinigami would be this careless with his sword!"

That made the children giggle and Udo smirk.

"Hisana nee-san!" A little girl, Aki, standing at the back with two long pigtails, put up her hand politely.

"Yes Aki-chan?"

"Should we give the sword to the shinigami-nurses? Maybe they can give it to the shinigami-police and then they can find Mr. Shinigami and give him back his sword."

"That's a very good idea Aki-chan." Aki beamed, looking proud with herself.

"Well shall we head back then?"

"What?! But I want to continue playing here!" A little boy, Makoto, with spiky hair whined.

"Yeah! We want to continue playing!" The two other boys started shouting.

"Okay everyone... " Hisana began softly, holdding up a hand to calm the children down. "Some of you can continue playing here, and the others who want to go back can come with me. Udo-kun," Hisana turned to Udo. "Can you stay with the boys?"

Udo frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Please?"

"Yeah, whatever." He muttered, trying to sound reluctant, despite feeling a spark of pride and importance.

Hisana smiled at him and waved for Hana and Aki to come with her. Hugging the sword now to her chest, Hisana stepped back into the woods with the two little girls at her side.

--

"Umm... " Aino Matsu examined at the sword presented before her, frowning. "I really can't help you Hisana-san. I have no idea whose sword it is. It doesn't look like it belongs to anyone who is stationed in this ward." Putting down the sword now on the table, the head of the Soul Recuperation, 3rd Ward, put her hands to her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Really, what kind of baka would drop his sword like that? Some shinigami he must be!"

Hisana felt her face heat up a little. As much as she felt upset with that young man, she didn't want anyone to insult him like that. She wanted to point out that he didn't drop it, but that the sword had slipped away itself.

"Haha... " Hisana laughed nervously. "I suppose..."

"Um Aino-san," Hisana began before she could stop herself.

"Yes Hisana-san?" Aino looked at the girl.

"Do you think maybe I can keep the sword? What I am saying is, I can bring it back to where I found it. Maybe the owner is searching for it right now. Oh! I really think it was stupid of me to not have just left it there!"

"Oh sure Hisana! If you're kind enough to actually take care of this!" Aino exclaimed, relieved that she could keep herself out of this.

Lost zanpakutos were a messy business. If one wanted to report a found zanpakuto in Soul Society, there were all sorts of documents to fill in, interrogations to go to - _Where had you found the zanpakuto? Under what condition had you found it? What were your motives in taking it away from where it was? ... _Because really, no one would actually leave their zanpukato unattended to anywhere. Let alone _accidentally drop them. _And the only times when a zanpukato would not be with its owner was when 1. it was left at home; 2. it was stolen; 3. the owner had died. Given the latter two cases, therefore, Soul Society was very careful when handling cases of lost and found zanpakutos, and every case would go through many painstaking procedures. And no one with work on their hands would want to deal with them...

Oh bureaucracies!

Hisana took a deep breath and picked up the sword. She bowed and excused herself from Aino-san's office before making her way back to her room. Once inside alone, Hisana climbed onto her bed with the sword in her hand. She sat down on the bed and placed the sword in front of her. It glimmered again.

_This is strange_, Hisana thought. _The sword seems to have a life of its own._

She reached a hand out and slowly brought it towards the sheath, as if asking for permission to touch it. A rapid glint spread across the hilt of the sword.

She lowered her hand slowly, carefully touching the end of the sheath. When nothing happened, she relaxed and began letting her fingers dance along the the sheath, across the patterns on it, in admiration. _This is his sword._

But at the same time, she couldn't help thinking about the painful scene from this afternoon. The way she had gazed up at him so trustingly... the way he had rejected her with his eyes, with his words, leaving her again in a whirl of dust behind him...

Hisana sighed. _What is wrong with me? It is not as if... as if what? _She frowned.

_As if you liked him? As if you thought there was something special in him? As if you thought you connected to him? _

She shook her head. No. She had only seen him once. And they've barely spoken.

And yet... and yet she thought that night when she first saw him... she thought it was he who was calling out to her. She thought there was something special in the way she was led to him, they way they had stood gazing at each other. And even this morning! When of all people it was he who appeared! And she had thought... she had felt... that perhaps... perhaps... when they looked each other in the eyes... they had both found the lost kindred soul made for each other by kami-sama.

_You're so silly! You're so naive! _She thought ruthlessly to herself, fighting back again the bitter tears of disappointment and embarrassment that were threatening to fall out.

Hisana pulled her hand away from the sword and slipped herself under the covers, curling up so she would not accidentally kick the sword down the bed. She felt very empty again. A sort of emptiness that was threatening to engulf her in its darkness and despair.

She was indeed all alone.

Hisana's eyes were shut and she had buried her head underneath the covers. So she did not notice when the wind blew open the windows in her room and a few cherry blossom petals drifted in.

--

Byakuya sat stony-faced throughout dinner with his grandfather and his cousins at the grand dining room in the main building within the Kuchiki estate. He could not wait for dinner to be over, to start hunting for _Senbonzakura_. _Where could she be? How could I have dropped it without knowing? _

He knew for certain that he had brought her out with him earlier in the morning. He always brought _Senbonzakura _out with him anywhere he went. So it was very certain that he did not leave it in his room at the division quarters. Though of course, he did not share this piece of information with his grandfather. It was humiliating enough to have shown that he was unaware that he did not have his _zanpakuto_ with him. His grandfather did not need to know that he had _dropped _it.

Byakuya had found it very strange, very unusual for himself to be this careless. He was usually very meticulous with detail, and had he untied his _zanpakuto_ from his sash, he would have made sure to re-attach it afterwards. However he could not recall untying _Senbonzakura_ and leaving it anywhere. So it was rather bizarre that it just disappeared like that.

Another thing that had been bothering Byakuya, and which he had been trying hard to push away from his mind, was that girl. Hisana. Part of him felt annoyed with her, betrayed and humiliated, by the fact that she had fooled him for one entire night, making him think that she was the materialized _Senbonzakura_. Of course, she didn't make him think that way. He had rushed to that conclusion himself. After all, it would never have occurred to him that anyone, let alone a mere human soul, could walk into his mass of lethal blades, right to the centre where he was barricaded, unscathed. Who else but _Senbonzakura_ could it have been?

Besides, perhaps it was because of yesterday night's large gleaming moon, the bright sparkling stars, the whole surrealistic ambience of the garden at night, she looked almost angelic, with that seraphic beauty of hers... the pale porcelain skin, those large innocent violet eyes, that it was certainly not _his_ fault that he had mistaken her for his sword.

He cringed inside when he realised that his thoughts had wandered to her again. Yes. He would admit it. He thought her beautiful. It was not that kind of beauty that books and poetry portrayed. It was something else, something more otherworldly that touched his heart deeply the first time he set his eyes on her.

Byakuya stood up.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Excuse me everyone. I shall be heading back to my division's quarters."

His grandfather and several other elders nodded with approval. Byakuya bowed at them before nodding goodbye at his cousins.

When he approached the large doors of the grand dining room, a guard stationed there opened it up and bowed low with respect. Byakuya gave a faint nod and stepped out, walking down the hallway and towards the entrance of the building. As soon as he was out of the building, he leaped onto the roof and shunpo-ed out of the estate.

He had no idea where he wanted to go. He had no idea either when or where he had lost _Senbonzakura_. _Could she have fallen out while he was shunpo-ing? Could she have been too loosely tied to his waist this morning? _No. Byakuya reasoned. He was a rather consistent person, even as a child. And with every single thing he did, he had run through the same routine in the same manner everyday without fail for the past couple hundred of years since he started his education. If he had been tying _Senbonzakura _up in one manner everyday, and if she had never fallen out of his sash before, she would not have fallen out because of the way he tied it.

Following the routes that he had taken today, he was led back to the garden at the outskirts of _Seireitei_. He landed quietly on the roof of one of the pavilions and leaped down gracefully onto the ground.

She was here.

He could sense her faint _reiatsu _from where he was. He moved quietly, following the scent of it and finally spotted her figure sitting in one of the pavilions near the lake. She was leaning her head against one of the pillars and was facing the lake, sitting with her legs tucked beneath her robe on the seat.

Suddenly unsure what to do, he stood motionless, observing her from a distance. The moonlight was shining on her, making her glow. Streaks of purple showed up against her ebony black hair, and her silky kimono glimmered.

After what seemed like a while, she suddenly turned around, as if sensing finally a presence behind her.

Their eyes met.

Her eyes were opened wide and she looked a little nervous at seeing him. He didn't know what to do so he stood there. He wondered himself what he was doing there. _Weren't you supposed to be looking for Senbonzakura? _

She got down from the seat and stood up, one hand clutching the other in front of her.

"Good evening." She said nervously.

He nodded at her.

"Good evening." He finally managed to find his voice.

"Ano... " She began, looking down and picking up something from the bench.

"I think you dropped this when you were leaving, sir." She said, holding up a sword with both hands.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. _It was Senbonzakura!_

He walked towards the pavilion, looking very very surprised.

"How... ?" He managed to stammer.

_How could it be that Senbonzakura was with her? _

"Your sword... I think it slipped away from you before you left this morning... " She replied a little timidly.

He looked up at her face, standing about an arm's length away.

"I know it sounds a little absurd sir. But the knot untied itself from your sash and the sword slid down and fell slowly, as if... " She paused. She looked into his eyes again, wondering what he was thinking, whether he thought she was mad.

"... as if it had a life of its own." She continued, when she saw him gazing back at her intently.

Byakuya took the sword from her. She lowered her hands, putting them in front of her, still shifting a little as if she were nervous.

He turned back now to _Senbonzakura_. The sword made no indication that she acknowledged him. _Senbonzakura? _He thought. _What are you trying to do this time?_

No voice came into his head. She was ignoring him again.

Hisana, a little unnerved from his silence, finally looked up and plucked up her courage to speak to him.

"Is something wrong sir?"

He remained silent, eyes fixed on his sword.

Hisana felt her face heat up again, embarrassed. She cast her eyes down, unsure what to do.

"You're right," he suddenly said in a low voice, making her jump a little, "she has a life of her own unfortunately."

Feeling a little curious now and a little braver, Hisana frowned and leaned forward, examining the sword too.

"Really? So I wasn't imagining things after all!" She exclaimed. She looked up and met Byakuya's eyes. "It's a 'she' isn't it?" Without waiting for his reply, she continued, before allowing herself to start getting nervous again, "She gave me permission to stroke her this afternoon! And she spoke to me too in a dream."

She now lowered her eyes again, blushing a little. "She told me to come here again tonight. She told me that... " She paused, looking unsure.

"What did she tell you?" Byakuya asked, curious and amazed.

"She told me that her 'Bya-bo'", she blushed to a deeper shade of pink, while stifling a giggle, "missed her and she needed my help to return to him."

Byakuya groaned inwardly while his face remained expressionless.

Hisana raised her eyes now to look at him. She could not help finding his stony face funny now, after all that the sword had told her in her dream this afternoon. She hadn't believed it at first. But now that she was rather sure she had really been talking to her, and upon thinking about the "Bya-bo" in her dreams, she was not afraid of the man anymore. She giggled out loud despite trying to hold herself back.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at the girl and wondered what else _Senbonzakura _had told her. He cringed and gripped his sword a little tighter, adding a mental note in his head to have a man-to-man... pardon... man-to-sword talk with her afterwards.

"Sorry!" The girl gasped.

Finally, Byakuya managed to smile. "It's alright." The girl was now kneeling on her seat, facing him, leaning onto the railings with her arms over it. Her eyes were sparkling brightly with amusement.

"And your name is?" Byakuya asked, despite already knowing it.

"Hisana." The girl smiled up at him.

"Just Hisana?"

"Yes... Here, I am just Hisana."

--


	7. Chapter 6: Names

**Author's Note: **

Sorry everyone for the very late update! The past few weeks have been busy... assignments, tests, me falling sick, and my family visiting... I would have posted an AN to tell you about it but I didn't want to keep spamming your inboxes especially since it wasn't even a real update!

I am on sick leave from classes today (but I am feeling much much better ^^) so I took the opportunity to write a new chapter! It was very hard picking back up where I left the story after so long... I hope you will not find this chapter too disconnected from the previous chapter.

This chapter has some fluff (as promised!) but it is also a little serious. I don't quite know how it ended up this way but I hope you will not be bored by it!

Thank you all for your kind PMs and messages! And thank you for giving me your ideas and opinions on how the story should proceed. I would like to especially thank those who have been reading _Lady Kuchiki_ since the very beginning, and have been encouraging me all this while to keep writing: Atemu'sLotus, Juud, and mikamura.

**Currently listening to: **

_Sakura Biyori _by Hoshimura Mai

* * *

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 6: Names_

_

* * *

  
_

_"And your name is?" Byakuya asked, despite already knowing it. _

_"Hisana." The girl smiled up at him. _

_"Just Hisana?" _

_---_

Hisana lowered her eyes and bit her lower lip. After a moment of hesitation, she turned her head back up at him, the sparkle in her eyes dimmed, and replied with a small smile.

"Yes... Here, I am just Hisana."

Byakuya didn't say anything. He kept his gaze on the girl while her melancholy one seemed locked with his.

A soft breeze was blowing that night and the air smelt of cherry blossoms. The rustling of the leaves seemed to be the only sound that helped conceal the thumping of their hearts.

Byakuya tore his gaze away after a while and looked behind her indifferently.

_Here I am just Hisana_, she's said. _Maybe she is starting to forget. To forget her life in the human world. _He glanced back at her briefly. Her eyes were lowered, one finger twisting a lock of her shoulder-length hair at the side.

"I am Byakuya."

"Pardon?" Hisana asked, startled.

"I am Byakuya..." he repeated a little louder, turning his head to the side and staring intently onto the ground. "Just Byakuya too."

When Hisana failed to make any reply, Byakuya glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. She had looked up at him, her eyes wide and her brows knitted upwards.

"I am sorry.... " She stammered, her lips quivering a little. "I should go, I am not allowed to stay out this late at night. Aino-san will be so cross if she finds out I have snuck out again."

Their eyes met again this time. But when Byakuya failed to react, Hisana tore hers away and got down from her seat. She wrapped her arms around herself and took small rapid steps around the pavilions towards the woods. When she passed by him, Byakuya, suddenly seized by impulse again, grabbed the side of her arm, eliciting a short gasp from the girl. She turned her head up slightly, her violet orbs once again captured his, her pink lips slightly opened with surprise.

Byakuya quickly released his grip and looked down. "Thank you."

"Thank you for returning _Senbonzakura_ to me."

"You're welcome." Hisana replied softly.

Thinking quickly, Byakuya slipped out of the white haori which he had worn over his shinigami clothes when meeting with his grandfather and held it out to the side towards Hisana with his eyes still downcast.

"Take it. It's a long walk back. You'll be cold." He muttered under his breath.

"... but ..."

"You'll need it." _Just take it!_

"... thank you..." Her fingers brushed against his as she reached out to receive it.

"Good night." He said in a low voice, almost inaudibly, keeping his gaze away from her and turning his back to start striding away. She didn't call him back this time. He kept his eyes looking forward and exerted every will power he could muster to keep his feet walking. When he heard the rustling of her clothes as she slipped on the haori, he felt a small smile on his face.

---

Hisana slid open the _shojo_ door to the cottage slowly and stepped in as quietly as she could. After sliding shut the door, she tiptoed down the long hallway towards her room. Before she could congratulate herself on having successfully snuck back in without getting caught, she saw Aino-san standing with a lantern at the door of her room, one hand on her hip, looking quite matronly.

"Well well... what have we got here? Hisana-san you are quite past the curfew!"

"Oh!" Hisana managed to squeak out. "I... er.... um..."

Aino Matsu looked down at Hisana, squinting her eyes.

Hisana laughed nervously and then quickly bowed at her. "Good evening Aino-san!"

"Good evening Hisana-san. Now come on in you poor girl! It must be freezing outside! Oh kami-sama! I am supposed to make sure that you lot are all ready to be sent to _Rukongai_ by the end of this week! At this rate how can I make sure that you'll be recovered with you sneaking out every night? And you've only been here for two days!"

Hisana lowered her eyes, feeling a little ashamed.

"And look at you! Do you have a fever? Why is your face all heated up?"

"I... er... "

"Come on now, let me check your temperature." Aino placed a hand on Hisana's forehead.

"Um... "

"Oh please don't fuss Aino-san! It must be just the haori. It is really quite thick. And I was hurrying back. That is probably why. I am really feeling quite alright."

"Alright..." Aino said hesitantly, taking her hand from Hisana's forehead and helping her out of the large haori.

"Where did you get this? I don't remember you bringing this with you. And it does look awfully large on you doesn't it?" Aino frowned as she folded the haori, remarking how fine and exquisite it is. As she straightened the collars, the embroidered crest behind one fold caught her attention. She brought it up and examined it closely before turning to look at Hisana who was undressing in the corner.

Hisana caught her eye and looked at her questioningly.

"Is something the matter Aino-san?"

"Where did you get this Hisana-san?"

"Oh!" Hisana blushed a little. She lowered her voice and said, "Don't tell anyone okay Aino-san?"

Aino nodded.

"The shinigami to whom I returned the _zanpakuto_ gave it to me!" Hisana whispered with a shy smile on her face.

Aino raised an eyebrow.

"And do you know who he is?"

Hisana shook her head. "We didn't really get to talk since I had to come back."

Hisana paused as she recalled the little boy that the sword, _Senbonzakura? Was that what he had called it?, _had projected in her dream. The little boy who was passionate, generous, brave and honest... the little boy whom a gentle woman had lovingly called _Bya-bo_. She felt she knew the little boy. So did she know _Byakuya_?

_Byakuya... _It was a very handsome name, very fitting for that young man with that pale, regal face.

"Byakuya!" Hisana blurted all of a sudden. "His name is Byakuya."

"I see..." Aino said slowly. "And did he tell you what his family name was?"

"He said he was just Byakuya. Maybe he has forgotten it? Since it must have been an awfully long time since he had died."

Aino blinked and then nodded slowly. "Yes, perhaps."

"Do you happen to know him too Aino-san?"

"No Hisana-san, no. I don't know him personally."

"I see..."

Aino put the haori away in a chest of drawers by Hisana's bed and helped the girl up the bed. She tucked her in and gave her a smile before blowing off the flickering flame in the lantern.

_Byakuya? The Kuchiki family crest? No doubt it was Kuchiki Byakuya, the snobbish heir to the Kuchiki family estate. What was he doing around my ward? That little Hisana-san surely does not know anything. Had she been sneaking out to see him? _Aino wondered as she recalled that radiant smile on Hisana's blushing face as she talked about him. _Best not to tell her anything about him. It is for the better... It won't be long before she leaves for Rukongai anyway. _

Aino sighed and gave a full stretch. It had been such a long, long day. Now finally, she could take a rest from her duties.

---

Hisana giggled as she closed her eyes and sank lower into her bed, recalling every single detail from the evening. All uncertainty and distress she had felt towards the young man had dissipated. These had been replaced by a warm, tingling sensation in her heart as she replayed in her head over and over again his perplexed expression when she told him about _Senbonzakura_, how he had feigned indifference, and how he had proved to be such a softie when he handed her his _haori_.

She wondered though if it had been rude of her to withhold her family name from him. Did it matter who she was now? Departed from the earthly world, all earthly possessions really hold no meaning anymore. Even if he had recognised her family name (which she highly doubted so unless he were from her prefecture, and really kami knew how long ago he had died), she had felt, in a dark corner of her heart, that it did not belong to her anymore. Not when she was without her family. Not when her clan had rejected them.

Thinking about her family, thinking about her name only made her realise that Rukia and her were all alone now, and things would forever be different. She was dead. The life that she had known was dead. Everything was gone.

Hisana shivered. She felt sad again. It had only been two days... she realised... two days since she was brought to Soul Society. And already, she found herself starting to forget, starting to see her existence here in Soul Society as a normality. _Is this the process of rebirth? To let go of the past and to start again? _

_Oh dear! This is too much philosophy for one night! I should stop thinking so much! _Hisana yawned as she tried to shrug off the looming shadow of despair that was threatening to take over her.

She tossed and turned but could not seem to find a position comfortable and assuring enough to let her peacefully drift off to sleep. At last, she sat up feeling a little frustrated. She looked over to the chest of drawers by her bed and at the _haori _that was peeping out from the gap. She pulled open the drawer and pulled it out. Hugging it close to her chest, she could smell the cherry blossom scent of its owner on it.

At last, finally, she felt sleepy enough to let her body tumble down onto the bed before curling up, hugging the _haori_ close to her, and dreaming cherry blossom dreams.

---

Byakuya stood hidden on the branch of a large willow tree behind the little cottage. Unknownst to Hisana, he had followed behind her as she made her way through the woods back to the ward. Of course he wasn't worried, and not to mention, cared about her. He just wanted to make sure she was safely back. This was his job as a _shinigami_, he had told himself.

Reunited with _Senbonzakura _now, he shunpo-ed back to his room in his division's headquarters. He placed _Senbonzakura_ on the floor in front of him and sat, cross-legged, opposite it. He closed his eyes and tried to meditate, to connect to her.

_"You wish to speak to me, Bya-bo?"_

_"Yes... yes... Senbonzakura.... "_

_"What took you so long?"_

_"...?! What do you mean? I've been trying to speak to you the whole time!"_

_"Is that so?"_

_"Of course!"_

_"I think not." _Senbonzakura chuckled._ "You've been shunning me ever since you stopped being called Bya-bo."_

_"Nobody calls me that anymore." _

_"Exactly."_

_"And that... that epithet... is no longer fitting. I am a grown up man."_

_"Have you really forgotten... Byakuya? Have you really forgotten yourself?"_

_"I want to be great."_

_"Unfortunately, this does not come from mastering kido, mastering shunpo nor swordsmanship. This comes from the self... This comes from facing and mastering your inner world... "_

_"My inner world... ?" _

_"Discover it... Byakuya... "_

---


	8. Chapter 7: Our Inner World I

**Author's Note:**  
Okay, here's one more chapter for you to enjoy this weekend! This is to make up for my long absence and yesterday's short chapter. :) Thank you once again, for everyone's reviews and comments! ^^

**Currently listening to:**  
Once in a blue moon - (from the Japanese Drama, _With Love_*)  
*I haven't watched it before but a friend sent me the song and I thought it was very beautiful and very suitable for this chapter.

* * *

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 7: Our Inner World I  
_

_

* * *

__My inner world? _

A wave of cherry blossom petals surged up into the air as Byakuya landed smoothly on the ground, swinging _Senbonzakura _upwards, before twirling to leap into the air again.

_Like this Senbonzakura? _

The swish of the air hissed against his ears as the sleeves of his kimono fluttered in the wind.

_To lose the self and dance to that image of spring cherry blossoms petals? _

He closed his eyes and in mid-air swung his sword in front of him, creating a powerful force that sent the amorphous heap of cherry blossoms petals before him swarming madly in all directions.

_"That's it Byakuya... Didn't you use to love the cherry blossom weather?"_

Landing on a knee on the ground, Byakuya swung his sword again, shredding the falling petals.

_Yes, that was when tou-san and kaa-san were still alive. That was before they named me as the next heir. _

He got up now, and turned towards the other side of the garden.

_"Don't you enjoy it anymore?" _

Lunging forward, Byakuya shunpo-ed to shred every single piece of petal in the air.

_Enjoyment is frivolous. Laughter is frivolous. It is not fit for a Kuchiki. _

_... _

One piece escaped and landed whole on the ground.

_Senbonzakura? ... _

Frustrated, Byakuya plunged his sword into the trunk of a sakura tree in front of him angrily.

It was a little after dusk but already the sky was a deep navy blue. The pale white moon was gleaming enigmatically, in such a way that made Byakuya feel unsettled. Ever since Hisana returned _Senbonzakura_ to him, his _zanpukato, _somehow, had felt different in his hands. She felt more forceful, more alive, much more responsive, and not to mention, much more assertive too. He had returned to the garden by the lake to train the next day after duties at his division, a little earlier than usual. He had wondered if he would find _her_ sitting in one of the pavilions again, if she would be gazing out in contemplation at the lake like she did the night before.

_Who are you? What have you done to Senbonzakura? _

A rustle from behind him made him turn back.

"Byakuya-kun, good evening."

"Hisana-san! What are you doing here?"

Hisana was standing several feet away from him, her hair tied up as usual, in her soft, silky kimono, a little pouch around a wrist, green slippers peeping from underneath the hem, and her face glowing in the moonlight.

"I thought Byakuya-kun would be here. I wanted to return this to you," she said, holding out his neatly-folded _haori _with both hands.

Byakuya reached out for it, and looked curiously at the bundle on top of it.

"What is this?"

Hisana bowed at him. "I want to thank Byakuya-kun for lending me his _haori_. So please accept this bento as a token of my appreciation."

"Ah... thank you."

Hisana straightened her back and looked up at Byakuya. "I hope I have not interrupted your training. I just thought that maybe you needed a break, that was why I came forward."

"You've been here?"

Hisana nodded.

"The whole time?"

"No. When I got here, you were already training." Hisana now looked down. Byakuya could see a light blush glowing on her face. "Byakuya-kun seems very adept at swordsmanship. You were very graceful."

Byakuya felt his heart thumping. He looked down, a little embarrassed, not knowing what to say.

"I... I should go then. I apologise once again if I have disturbed you Byakuya-kun." Hisana bowed and was about to turn away when she heard Byakuya quickly say, "Wait, don't go yet."

Surprised, Hisana looked up at Byakuya who once again averted his eyes. "I... Perhaps you would like to join me in the pavilion over there? I haven't had dinner yet."

"Of course Byakuya-kun!" Hisana smiled, her eyes sparkling up. "I am so glad I came at the right time then! I really hope that the bento would please you."

Byakuya managed a small smile at the beaming girl.

"I must warn you though," Hisana continued, giggling, "this is my first attempt!"

"Ah... I am truly honoured Hisana-san, to be the first person to try your cooking."

Hisana smiled and blushed.

They made their way towards the closest pavilion. However, Hisana tugged his hand and motioned for him to go towards a sakura tree. Byakuya couldn't help noticing how soft and cool it was against his.

"Let's just sit here Byakuya-kun! Wouldn't it be nicer to be sheltered by a sakura tree? And the grass is dry tonight too!"

Byakuya sat next to her, cross-legged. Putting his _haori _aside, he carefully placed the bento in front of him. He undid the knot of the blue _furoshiki_ cloth, and lifted the lid of the black-lacquered wooden box. Inside, in the main section of the box, Hisana had arranged pink and white pieces of pickled ginger so that they represented cherry blossoms against the white rice, with lines of seaweed and black pickled vegetables as the branches, and a few peeled _endamame_ and sesame seeds scattered around the picture. In smaller sections above, a cube of _hiyayakko_; a variety of _kamaboko_; and some pickled seaweed.

"I am sorry, Byakuya-kun, it really is not a lot. But that is all I could find in the kitchenette in our ward. I suppose Aino-san does not keep a lot of food there because most people in the ward do not eat. They stopped getting hungry after coming to Soul Society."

"Don't worry, I was just about to say that you did a very good job." Byakuya said giving Hisana a small smile. It was true, this was barely enough for him for dinner. But at that moment, Byakuya was not thinking about how hungry he was. He felt very touched, a warm sensation, long forgotten, coming back to his heart as he admired the picture that Hisana had meticulously created, the care she had taken in every single detail - the way the pieces of ginger folded, the way the _kamaboko_ was neatly sliced into identical pieces. He could not remember the last time someone had made him a bento, or at least one that showed so much care, so much thought, one that was made so personally for him.

Hisana smiled back gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and then folding her hands neatly on her lap.

"This... this is really the first time in a while since someone has made a bento for me."

Hisana said nothing, a small smile still on her face as she cast down her eyes.

"Hisana-san, do you like sakura trees a lot?" Byakuya asked as he picked up the pair of chopsticks that was tied to the lid of the bento.

"Well, yes, I do." Hisana replied softly. "They remind me of my home and my family."

"Did you have sakura trees in your garden?"

"Oh yes! A lot to! My mother really liked them. In fact," Hisana said slowly, as she tried to recall last spring, when her family had their last picnic together, "in fact, the day I passed away from the human world, it was the season for _hanami_. We were picnicking under a large _sakura _tree, father, mother, Rukia, my baby sister, and I." Hisana sighed and leaned against the trunk of the tree. "It was exceptionally beautiful that day, ironically." Hisana added with a small chuckle.

"You must miss them a lot... now that you are away from them."

"Yes... I really miss them. I really really miss them." Hisana whispered. "I don't know where Mother and Father are now. I am not sure if they had died. But Rukia, Rukia is here too, in Soul Society. She is in another ward."

"What happened that day? Why were you and Rukia injured?" Byakuya glanced at Hisana, feeling for the young girl's plight.

"The day I died... I am not sure myself what had happened. The peasants were suddenly revolting against Father. It really made no sense because they had always respected Father. Father told us to run away, to the other side of the estate. But before we could get there, we were surrounded... Someone took Rukia away.... and I tried to save her.... but the two of us ended up dying together... "

"Hisana-san..."

"I was with Rukia when I woke up. The world was different then. It was snowing, and the estate was deserted. I tried to get back to the mansion but I got lost." Hisana had a faraway look in her eyes as she gazed out at the lake, a giant puddle of black ink. "We were lost, and I wandered into a haunted hut, and got Rukia hurt again."

Hisana now turned towards Byakuya, her eyes pained as his captured hers. "We were attacked by my departed aunt's hollow."

"Your aunt's hollow?"

Hisana nodded. "She was driven to commit suicide by my uncle, the same uncle who had betrayed my father."

Byakuya tightened his clutch on the bento. "When was this? Just a few days ago?"

"Yes..."

_This had happened during the 13th division's expedition? Where was I then? She surely was not saved by my team. _

Hisana looked at him puzzled. Why did he tighten his face and looked so stony now? _Oh God, I must be boring him! Really, who would want to know how you died! _She scolded herself.

"Oh Byakuya-kun, I am so sorry. We really shouldn't be talking about my death!" Hisana laughed softly. " 'My death...' that really does sound strange, doesn't it?"

"Anyway," Hisana continued quickly, "if you were asking me if I liked _sakura_ trees to know the reason why I made you a _sakura_ tree bento, the real reason is because we always meet under _sakura_ trees. It just reminded me of you, that's all!" Hisana said cheerfully.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at Hisana, amazed by how quickly she could change her mood, and the mood of their conversation. Hisana simply sat there like a doll, smiling back widely at him, her large round violet eyes softening every hardness in his heart.

"Hisana-san, please don't be sorry about bringing up your past. I wanted to know too. I am sorry, as a shinigami, I wasn't there to protect you. But I am grateful too, that you were saved."

He saw her relax a little, her smile softened.

"I asked if you liked _sakura_ trees because... because I really like them too." Byakuya paused for a while, before continuing, "They too, remind me of a happy past with my family." He said slowly, revealing for the first time feelings that he had buried deep inside, cautious and scared still to bring out a raw wound.

"Byakuya-kun... "

Byakuya lowered his eyes, afraid to meet Hisana's. He slowly continued eating the bento as the two of them sat in silence.

_Byakuya-kun... _Hisana examined Byakuya, looking at him tenderly. His shoulder length hair was tied up in a ponytail today. And as usual, he was wearing his shinigami robes. _Are you alone and sad too, like me? Are you without family too? _Hisana felt her heart swell with every possible tender emotion for the young man before her. She really liked examining his smooth, pale face, his regal features, his lean but strong body, and his hands, those lean but firm looking fingers. Her heart swelled, because she knew he was a good person, and she was happy that he proved to be a good person. Her heart swelled, because she could see no flaw in this kind, well-mannered, hardworking boy. She wanted to protect him too, even though she was not a _shinigami_. She wanted to be there for him, to be able to sit with him beneath the _sakura _tree, just like it was now, to watch the moon, the stars, the lake with him. She wanted him to meet Rukia, she wanted him to be a brother to Rukia too, like she is a sister to Rukia. She wanted to share everything she held precious with him, because, because, everything felt so right, so peaceful, just being with him. Like this. Like now. Hisana closed her eyes, revelling in the moment, her head against the trunk and a small smile on her face.

Byakuya, having finished eating now, put down the bento, and folded it back up with the furoshiki cloth. He turned to look at Hisana, who looked like she was slumbering serenely next to him. She really was very beautiful. Byakuya took his _haori_. When he was leaning towards her to put it over her body, her eyes fluttered open and he found his face inches away from hers.

"Byakuya-kun... ?" She said softly. He could see the soft little hair on her cheeks, the pink on the tip of her nose... and as his eyes moved up to meet hers, they were drowned in those large violet pools that took his breath away.

"You... You must be tired... " He managed to whisper, frozen in his spot. She didn't move away, nor did she push him away. A gentle breeze blew around them. Her hair brushed against the side of his cheeks.

"No... " Hisana managed, shaking her head a little while her eyes, opened wide, kept locked with his.

They remained like this, for what felt like an eternity, captivated, drowned in the depths of each other's worlds.

"Byakuya-kun... " Hisana began. Byakuya felt his breath stuck in his throat. "I... I really enjoy being with you. I mean, just like this." Hisana whispered. "I... Are we friends?"

"Of course we are!" Byakuya breathed, losing all his cool as his heart thumped wildly in his chest and his face heating up so much that it must be radiating heat.

Hisana smiled, biting her lip, and finally tore her eyes away to look down, blushing a little. Byakuya too quickly sat back and looked away, fervently trying to regain his cool posture.

"You know, Hisana-san, you should probably go back! Won't Aino-san be angry with you for sneaking out again tonight?" Still a little unsettled from having been so close to her.

"Oh! Haha! She won't catch me tonight!" Hisana said triumphantly. "I put pillows on my bed and covered them with my blanket so she would think it's me sleeping!"

Byakuya felt his mouth drop uncharacteristically as a drop of sweat slid down behind his head. "That's _baka_! Of course she won't fall for it!"

Byakuya coughed and quickly sat up straight. "Hisana-san, shinigamis can sense _reiatsu_, spirit force that souls emit. You, although do not have a strong _reiatsu_, do possess a weak one that people can track you down by."

"Oh really?" Hisana asked, looking disappointed. Before long though, her brows knitted up with worry as her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh no! Then I really really should go back!" Hisana quickly got up. "Good night Byakuya-kun!" She bowed quickly, turned and began running towards the woods.

Byakuya got up too and looked wide-eyed after Hisana, amazed at how quickly the girl had fled. A stripe of pink falling towards the ground caught his eyes. He walked forward and picked it up. It was Hisana's ribbon. Byakuya gazed at it and stroked it with a finger. Smiling, he then put it in his pocket.

---

Aino Matsu shook her head when she saw the pillows beneath Hisana's blanket. She smiled, slightly amused and slightly annoyed. _Hisana-san sure is one headstrong girl. _She thought. She walked towards the window and looked outside. It was beautiful tonight. Just like it had been the past few nights. _Well, if that girl really has snuck out to see Kuchiki Byakuya, she can't be in much danger_. _I guess I can just cut her some slack. _

Aino closed the curtains in the room and moved towards the door, pausing to pick up her lantern and then closed the door behind her. She made her way down the dark hallway and towards her office. Tired, she sat down at her desk and began looking through the reports delivered to the ward at dusk. "Date Udo," it said, " -- Rukongai North, 20th district. Ito Hana -- Rukongai West 78th district." Aino frowned. _Poor girl. How do people at the Soul Immigration Centre assign homes? How can a frail little girl survive in the 78th district? _"Kimura Aki -- Rukongai West 30th district. xxx Hisana & xxx Rukia -- Rukongai North -- 12th district." _That lucky girl! _Aino smiled, happy for Hisana and her little sister. _No doubt, _she thought, _Kaien probably is behind this. He probably made sure that they will be sent to the nicer districts. He is really such a kind-hearted man._ _Such an exceptional one among the shinigamis._

Aino flipped through the pages and looked at the detailed report for Hisana and Rukia. _So, they will be staying with the Hayashis of the Hayashi Pastry Shop. _

Aino nodded approvingly.

It would be hard saying goodbye to all these children three days later. They really were quite a merry batch.

---


	9. Chapter 8: Our Inner World II

**AN:**  
Dear all, thank you so much once again for your patience and understanding! Having taken a long break from writing, I am feeling much more refreshed now and ready to write more! So here's the promised update (and it is extra long this time too!). I hope you will like it!  
Also, I have come across some fan art that I thought really portray the Hisana and Byakuya I have in mind when writing the story. If you are interested in seeing them, please visit my profile page for the links.  
This chapter took me a longer time than usual to write... 3 days!!! So I would really appreciate it if you could leave me some comments or just any feedback you have. Thanks and love to you all! xx

**Currently listening to:**_  
Jewelry day_ and _I love you_ by Ayaka Iida

* * *

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 8: Our Inner World II

* * *

  
_

"There you are," Kaien smiled when he saw Hisana running towards him from the hallway. "You're looking much livelier today."

"Kaien-san!" Hisana exclaimed, stopping in front of him and bowing deeply. "It is good to see you."

"Well then, shall we get going? You must be bored with getting stuck in this little cottage the whole day by now."

Hisana panted a little and looked up, tilting her head slightly, a strand of hair dropping in between her eyes.

"Kaien, two hours you hear me? I want to see Hisana-san back in two hours." Aino Matsu stood at the door of her office, hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes in mock reproach, her lips curling up slightly.

Kaien waved a hand dismissively, "Hai, hai, Aino-sama." He turned back his head to give her a lazy smile. "Come on, Hisana!"

Hisana turned back to bow at Aino-san before stepping hesitantly out of the door into the Sun. It was clear and warm today, as was the last few days since she had been here. Hisana wondered if the weather in Soul Society ever changed.

She had been sleeping soundly earlier in the morning when Aino Matsu burst into the room announcing that Shiba Kaien had come by and was waiting to see her at the door of the clinic. Hisana, panicking, had then jumped out of bed, hastily gotten dressed, and gulped down the porridge and medicine that Aino-san had brought in while the older woman administered to her obi. Aino-san had said that Shiba Kaien dropped by to pay her a visit and to take her to see Rukia in another ward.

Hisana could not believe her ears then. "Are we discharged already?" She had asked sharply, jerking her head up.

"No," Aino-san had said, quite taken aback at Hisana's reaction. "You will only be leaving in two days my dear."

"Oh." Hisana had then heaved a small sigh of relief.

"And we have already found out where you will be staying."

"Really?"

"You and Rukia will be staying in Rukongai North, 12th district, with the Hayashi family who run a pastry shop."

"I see." _So, we'll be leaving Seireitei._ Hisana felt a slight tug at her heart.

"Don't worry dear, they are very nice people. And you should thank your lucky star that you did not end up getting assigned to the lower districts." Aino-san had said, putting a hand on Hisana's shoulder. "I know, it is hard, to adjust to a new life, especially when the one the one you had known so well was no doubt much more comfortable." She paused a moment, before continuing, "I know about your past. You were a _hime_, weren't you?"

"How did you know about that Aino-san?"

"Well, it is very obvious my dear. You do have very nice jewelries and a very pretty kimono. But besides that, more importantly," Aino-san had said, smiling down warmly at Hisana, "you bear the exquisite qualities of a _hime_, qualities that a person can only be born with. Even the most exquisite kimono cannot make a person noble if she is not one at heart."

_A hime at heart? _Hisana gave a small smile.

"Oi Hisana!" Date Udo had then poked his head into the room soon after that. "The shinigami-san at the door wanted me to tell you to hurry up..."

Outside now, Hisana blinked under the glaring Sun and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet aromatic smell of the different flowers blooming in the garden.

"Pretty out here today isn't it?" Kaien said as he watched her face, standing beside her.

Hisana nodded, "Yes, very pretty indeed. Is it always like this in Soul Society?"

Kaien laughed. "No, we have seasons too. Here, this way. The ward where Rukia is staying at is not too far away from here."

Hisana followed Kaien out of the gate of the cottage and onto a small path that soon after led to a maze of some sort, fortified at the sides by great white walls.

"Shiba-san, is this _Seireitei_ as well?" Hisana asked, looking around, awed.

"We are actually at the very centre of _Seireitei_. This is where we shinigamis live, work and gather in. Outsiders are usually not allowed in here."

"Oh!" Hisana lowered her head, feeling suddenly a little conspicuous in her pink kimono.

"But don't worry," Kaien said, putting an arm around her shoulder, "as long as you're with me, you are authorized to travel around here."

Still a little tense, Hisana smiled at Kaien and tried to look straight ahead of her, ignoring the curious looks that shinigamis passing by were throwing them as they entered a busier street.

After what seemed like an eternity to Hisana, Kaien steered her onto a wooded path and finally stopped in front of a cottage, similar to the one that Hisana stayed in. Pushing open the gate now, Kaien stepped in just as a female shinigami emerged from the side of the cottage.

"Shiba-kun?" She exclaimed, waving and making her way over towards Hisana and Kaien.

"Yo Miyako-kun! Sorry we're a little late. This is Hisana, Rukia's sister."

The tall, dark-haired woman turned to Hisana, smiled pleasantly and bowed, "It is nice to meet you, Hisana-san."

"Nice to meet you too Miyako-san. Thank you for taking care of Rukia." Hisana smiled and bowed too.

"Why don't the two of you come in? Rukia is sleeping at the moment but it is time for her to get up soon."

As Hisana followed Miyako into the cottage, a little boy, around 4 years old, shot right past them out into the front-yard.

"I told you! I don't want to leave!"

"Come back here Renji! Hey!" A blond, bespectacled man dashed right after him, in hot pursuit.

"Miyako!" Renji dodged his pursuer's outstretched hand and turned back towards Miyako, running straight into her arms. "Help Miyako! I don't want to leave! I don't want to go to Rukongai!"

"Miyako-sama! Sorry for the inconvenience! I'll come take care of that little rascal!"

Miyako laughed. "There's no need for it, Iemura-san. I will talk to Renji myself. Would you please be kind enough to show our visitors in instead?"

Iemura nodded and slid open the shoji doors leading into the cottage.

As Hisana stepped in, her eyes met those of the little boy's. She smiled at him shyly and continued on after Iemura. Little did she know then that many years later, she would recall, when she chanced upon a young man with the same fiery red hair who was called by the name "Renji", she would wonder if he was the same lively little boy whom she had met that unsuspectingly fateful day.

"But I heard _Inuzuri_ was a horrible place to live in..." Renji's voice trailed off as Miyako led him away.

Hisana sat down carefully onto the cushion at the little table, with Kaien beside her. He had one leg up where he rested his arm, his other hand playing with the empty cup in front of him.

He frowned and looked sympathetically at the thin, blond man who was kneeling opposite them, making tea. "Gees, those kids really are quite a handful eh Iemura?"

Iemura pushed up his glasses and gritted his teeth. "That little brat... " he growled, "he is lucky he is leaving here today. Or else I really would show him what happens to little boys who don't behave."

"Eh?" Kaien sweatdropped and whispered to Hisana, "Just to reassure you, Miyako's in charge of Rukia, not this freak here."

Hisana giggled, prompting a glare from Iemura. He got up stiffly and without another word, left the room, sliding the shoji door shut a little too loudly behind him.

Miyako entered soon afterwards. "I apologize for keeping you waiting. Come here Hisana-san, I'll show you where Rukia is."

Hisana got up, her heart beating fast all of a sudden. _Rukia! Dear Rukia! It feels like I haven't seen her for so long! _

They entered a room at the far end of the hallway. In the centre, on a cot, Rukia lay fast asleep, her little chest heaving slowly. Hisana approached the cot quietly, not wanting to wake her sister.

"Rukia..." She whispered, stroking the infant's cheek with a finger. Tears suddenly stung her eyes as she felt a lump rising up her throat. _It was really, really Rukia! In front of her! _Hisana turned abruptly to Miyako and bowed deeply.

"Thank you so much, Miyako-san, for taking care of Rukia. She is my dear sister, and I don't think I will ever be able to live without her."

Hisana then turned to Kaien and bowed as well. "Shiba-san, thank you." She whispered, her voice already hoarse. "Thank you for saving us, thank you for bringing me here... thank you, for everything."

Hisana kept her eyes lowered, afraid that if she looked up, Kaien and Miyako would see her tears. She turned back to where Rukia was, and brought her hand over the infant, brushing her sister's tiny one. Rukia stirred at the contact, mumbled some baby gibberish, before sinking once more into deep, contented sleep, a smile appearing on her supple little face.

In the sunlight that shone through the paper windows by Rukia's cot, Hisana stood, fixated, watching her lovely baby sister sleep, feeling all at once a catharsis, from the pent-up worries and anxiety that had clouded the bottom of her soul the past few days. Without any warning, tears had started to run freely down her face and for the first time in her life, she was crying with joy, crying from the relief of seeing her sister safe and well. Crying because she was touched, and hopeful about the new life that she and Rukia would begin in two days. For once since that unfortunate day, she was looking forward, looking forward to this new order of things that had suddenly imposed itself on her.

Hisana did not notice when Miyako had slipped discretely out of the room, nor when Kaien started holding her shoulder protectively at hearing her soft sobs, his face solemn.

"Hisana..."

"Please forgive me, Shiba-san. I did not want to upset you nor Miyako-san." Hisana whispered. She swallowed and continued, "I just... I just couldn't help myself."

Kaien tightened his grip on Hisana's shoulder.

"Coming here and seeing my dear Rukia, I feel suddenly strong again. Strong enough to face the new life that we are granted here in Soul Society. So I really thank you, thank you for bringing me here today."

Hisana looked up bravely at Kaien, who was staring intensely back at her, into her eyes, his expression unreadable.

After a moment, his face relaxed and he grinned.

"I am glad then that this visit did you good. Heh, I was just wondering a moment ago if I had made a mistake by bringing you over."

Hisana gave a chuckle, pulling out a handkerchief to dap at her eyes. "I am really sorry Shiba-san, for making you worried."

Kaien shook his head, smiling, then looked away, sticking both hands in his pockets.

And when he spoke again, to let her know that they had to go, Rukia was stirring from her afternoon nap.

"Nee...?" Rukia cooed, her big violet eyes fully opened now. "Nee... nee!" Rukia stretched up her hands towards Hisana.

Hisana bent down and picked her up. "Rukia! You're awake! Oh my, you've sure gained some weight huh little Rukia?"

"Well hello again angel." Hisana whispered, pressing her forehead against Rukia's and rubbing it, prompting giggles from her. "Rukia... Rukia... " Hisana hugged Rukia tightly against her chest. "Nee-chan is sorry she didn't manage to keep you from harm. But I promise, little one, that we will not have to suffer anymore." Rukia smiled back widely at Hisana, her little fingers brushing Hisana's face. "You understand, don't you?"

Hisana frowned a little when Rukia looked back at her puzzled.

"Oh well. It doesn't matter. I'll let you into this anyway! We're going to have a new family Rukia! We're going to live in a little pastry shop in this place called Rukongai. Yep! A pastry shop! Isn't that cute Rukia? We'll have lots of sweets to eat every day! Won't you be happy Rukia?"

"Excuse me Hisana-san," Miyako said, coming into the room, "but it is about time to go now." She approached Hisana's side.

"Good morning Rukia." Miyako bent down and smiled at Rukia.

Rukia turned to Miyako with a look of recognition, but gripped Hisana's robes tighter.

"Rukia," Hisana murmured. Rukia looked up at her sister with her large violet eyes. Smiling softly, Hisana continued, "Nee-chan has to go now. But I will come back again okay Rukia dear? I'll be coming back in two days. We'll be together." She kissed Rukia on her forehead.

As if comprehending Hisana, Rukia's grip on her robes loosened, and Miyako began pulling her away. When Kaien started steering Hisana from the room, Rukia's eyes were still fixed on Hisana, looking extremely forlorn and small, one little hand reaching out midway towards her.

Hisana could not tear her eyes away. It was only when Kaien started pulling her hand then did she look away, startled, at the taller man with those emerald eyes.

"Let's go Hisana." He said in a low voice. Then he grinned and continued, "I don't want Aino to give me crap when we get back."

After one many last look at Rukia, Hisana, resigned, let herself be led away.

_I'll see you again soon Rukia. _She stole just one more last look at the forlorn figure at the end of the hallway before the shoji door slid shut.

---

"I 've come to say goodbye." Hisana's voice rang clear as bell in the crisp night air. Byakuya turned back to look down at her.

"Rukia and I will be leaving in two days. Aino-san told us that we'll be in Rukongai North, in the 12th district, with the Hayashi family who run a pastry shop."

"In two days?"

"Yes."

"I was told that non-shinigamis are not allowed in _Seireitei_, so I suppose I'll never be able to come back here again. That's why I am here to say goodbye."

...

"Are shinigamis allowed outside _Seireitei _then?"

...

"Maybe, maybe if you have the chance to, will you come to see me? Byakuya-kun?"

Byakuya remained silent. Hisana lowered her eyes dejectedly. He reached into the pocket of his robe and felt for her ribbon.

"I will come when I can."

Hisana nodded and gave a small smile. "I saw Rukia today. She looked very well. Seeing her really made me feel optimistic about the future." She laughed softly then, stretching her hands over her head and breathed in deeply. "Like this. I feel like from now on, I am ready to face any situation, to start a new life."

"But if I have any regrets, I suppose it would be that I'll never see the sakura trees that we had in our gardens. They were different, different from those in this garden." Looking far away out into the lake now, Hisana continued, her voice softer, "No matter how enchanting this garden is, no matter how great the trees are, they will never be like the ones we had back home. They will never be as beautiful."

Byakuya raised his eyes now. "Are you really so ready to dismiss what we have in Soul Society?"

Hisana looked up, puzzled at this sudden response after his long, unbreakable silence that night.

"If so," Byakuya continued, "I must say to you that you are wrong. I have not seen the sakura trees you had at home in the human world. But to me, there is only one place that has the most beautiful sakura trees in the world."

He looked at Hisana now. "There is a garden in Soul Society, the only place where the most exquisite flowers can bloom and flourish."

"What is so special about that place?"

"Its legacy. The garden belongs to the oldest and noblest family in Soul Society, where only the most skilled and sensitive hands are allowed to tend to it."

Fascinated now, Hisana's eyes were wide-opened. "Where is this place? Have you been there before?"

"It is heavily guarded, on the other side of _Seireitei_, aloof from everything else. After the mistress of the garden passed away, the garden has lost the life that had made it much more enchanting. It is, but a beautiful empty shell right now."

"So you've been to the place before! I... " Hisana looked away, a little ashamed of putting herself too forward. But at the same time, she could not help wishing that she could see this marvellous garden that Byakuya-kun had just described. "If I could, I suppose, I would love to see this wonderful garden myself."

Byakuya looked at her again in silence. Hisana sighed and turned towards the lake, allowing herself to drown in its inky black darkness and all the while the repetitive drone of crickets numbed her ears.

"I suppose, there is a way, to bring you there."

Without another word, Byakuya scooped up Hisana in his arms and leaped on top of a pavilion, moving lightly over the trees.

Shocked and terrified, Hisana clung onto his robes, watching with fright at the trees and roof tops rapidly passing by down below. Before long, she was set down. Standing shakily, she reached out a hand to balance herself. Byakuya came behind her just as she fell, her head still dizzy from the sudden halt.

Setting Hisana down beneath a tree, Byakuya noted with surprise at how fragile the girl still was. _Or maybe, she is still too human to adjust herself to the speed of shun-po. _He thought grimly. Hisana's eyelids were fluttering, as she struggled to keep her vision straight. Bringing a hand to her head, she massaged it, her brows knitted.

Byakuya stood at her side, unsure of what to do. He bent down, and was about to touch her forehead, but paused midway.

When Hisana finally recovered, sitting up straight and opening her eyes, she let out an involuntary gasp at the scene in front of her. Pink petals were lightly falling onto the ground from the sakura tree above, and the garden itself, even in the darkness of the night, shimmered in different hues, each singing softly its own refrain, coming together in an euphonious harmony. From where she was sitting, on lush and soft grass, she could see a stone bridge that arched across a flowing stream to the other side of the garden.

"Oh my, Byakuya-kun," she breathed, "this place is truly beautiful." She tried to push herself up, but was held back down by Byakuya.

"You shouldn't excite yourself too much. I must apologize for taking you here so abruptly. I usually travel at this speed myself, so I had not thought that you might not be used to it."

"No, please, it's nothing. I asked to see the garden myself, so please don't apologize."

Hisana leaned back against the trunk of the sakura tree, and marvelled once more at the picturesque scene.

The night was cool and clear, and the bright, silvery moon loomed overhead. Byakuya sat back too. He hadn't been in this garden since a long time ago. The garden was however, just the same, the same as it always had been. Except, the people who should have been here were no longer here, and in their place, this strange, lovely girl whom he was, for some reason, rather taken with. _But she is merely a human soul, and not even one with a notable level of reiatsu. And,_ he added, _she was leaving soon_.

_What did you think you wanted to do, Bya-bo? _The voice of _Senbonzakura_ suddenly rang in his head.

_Nothing._

_No, you did not want her to go. _

_... _

_I do not have say in matters like this. By Soul Society's laws, she has to move on away from Seireitei, to Rukongai_.

_But are you really so ready to let her go, after finally meeting someone that you feel comfortable around with? _

_Like I've said, I do not have say in this matter. She has to go. I will of course, as I have promised, pay her a visit or two when I have time._

_..._

_... Senbonzakura?_

The damn sword finally shut up. Byakuya breathed in deeply. He wondered what the time was, but it was hard to tell in this immortal garden where it seemed to have stopped, and where the only thing that perhaps reminded him of an alternate world that was moving forward was the rapidly flowing stream. He glanced down at Hisana, who had fallen asleep, no doubt from the excitement which her little body was still too frail to handle. He let his eyes linger on her a little longer, as if finally free to let himself indulge in a suppressed guilty pleasure... her hair, soft and silky... her face, the smoothness of her creamy skin, her petite nose, her lips... he ran his eyes down now, to her neck... down her girlish figure, those small feet peeking out from beneath the hem of her kimono.

Suddenly ashamed, he tore his eyes away and settled them on the ground in front of him.

When Hisana shifted and her head started drooping sideways, he caught her face and held it. Then hesitantly, he stroked her cheek with one finger. Leaning down now, he lowered his face closer to hers.

_Hisana... this strange and lovely girl... this girl who has given a face to the millions of nameless souls who enter Soul Society each day to the lofty prince who had never known nor truly cared about the souls that he had pledged to save as a shinigami._

_Hisana... it is good that you will be leaving soon. _Byakuya thought, frowning as his heart thumped louder at the serene expression on Hisana face, making her look even more angelic than she already was. _Because you have tormented me much more than I would like... because you have caused a bouleversement in the world that I had known so well, in my world where I had not tolerated any disruption, where no one should be allowed to reign over me... _

_---  
_


	10. Chapter 9: Goodnight and Goodbye

**AN:**  
Hi again! I am back with another chapter!  
This one was extremely emotional for me (I swear... I almost cried myself)! I hope these feelings reach you as you read the chapter.  
Thank you to those who had sent me a PM on the last chapter when you couldn't post your review. I really really appreciate it! :)  
Again, please give me your feedback... !  
Thank you for reading the story!

**Spoilers: Turn Back the Pendulum chapters**  
A note on the setting of the story in relation to the _Bleach_ timeline - I had originally thought that Rukia had died 150 years ago (taking what she had said to Ichigo about being 10 times older literally) when I first wrote the story. Thus the setting for the beginning of the chapter is around the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan. However, upon carefully re-reading the manga, I realised that the _Turn Back the Pendulum _chapters only go as far as 110 years before the actual timeline of _Bleach_... and Byakuya was still an adolescent then! So now for this story up to the present chapter, if we follow the actual _Bleach _timeline, it should only be 101 years back, 9 years after Urahara became captain of the 12th division.

I am assuming then that by this time Byakuya has grown and graduated from the Shinigami Academy. Thus, it is safe to assume that he is already a 5th seat in the 13th division ('cause he is so damn talented and smart XD).

The only problem is that you will have to tolerate a little bit of historical inaccuracy in the story, since 101 years ago, Japan had already long evolved from the shogunate period to the Meiji period.

**Currently listening to:**_  
Pavane pour une infante defunte; Les entretiens de la belle et de la bete; Jeux d'eau_ by Joseph-Maurice Ravel_  
I Dreamt About You_, Infernal Affairs OST

* * *

**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 9: Goodnight and Goodbye_

* * *

_Goodnight princess. Goodnight love.  
__May you dream on and never rouse__  
To see that the rose garden  
Has never been  
So that those rosy cheeks  
Would never lose its luster  
So that your heart would not bleed  
from the thorns that pierce you through_

Hisana turned to her side, curling up her body and sighing contentedly at the warmth and softness that had her enveloped up. A wonderful fragrance surrounded her, soothing her mind, and gently seducing her to fall back deeper into the hazy depths of that delightful world... had the Sun not been shining through! Bursting into that beautiful haziness with its unvarnished brightness!

Her eyelids fluttering, Hisana yawned and stretched. She pushed herself up and saw just in time the remnants of last night's dreams take flight through the window... cherry blossom petals rising and dancing out of the now opened window. She reached out a hand to catch some in her grasp. But slyly, they slipped out of her fingers while one brushed against her cheek, bidding her farewell.

Hisana blinked and shook her head, trying to wake from her reverie. She glanced to the side of her bed. A single branch of cherry blossoms sat on the dressing table, accompanied by a note addressed to her.

In a casually elegant script, the note read:

_Sleep tight princess. _

_You were right, I had never seen the most beautiful flower before I met you. _

Hisana felt her heart beat madly against her chest and her face glow with heat. _Oh no!_ Was her first thought. She was all at once ecstatic, nervous, excited and frightened. _What had he meant by that?_

She was going to re-read the note, when it hit her sharply that she was back in her room at the ward. Her kimono was lying on the chair next to her bed, and her obi, folded carefully, on top. Her shoes were standing by the bed faithfully, while her jewelries sat on her dresser, next to the branch of cherry blossoms. Holding her breath, Hisana looked down and pulled the blankets up again when she saw that she was wearing only her undergarments, the white robe beneath her kimono. Tentatively, she reached inside her robe and felt for her chest binding. It was still there.

Hisana covered her cheeks with her hands, bit her lips and squeezed her eyes shut as the realization of what had happened the night before dawned upon her. _He had undressed me! A man, who I had known for barely a week undressed me! _Hisana shivered at that thought. But then, gentle Byakuya-kun had not tried to take advantage of her. She smiled weakly at that thought. He must have taken off her kimono out of consideration for her, so that she need not wake up stiff the next day.

Getting out of bed, Hisana stood in front of the dresser and gazed at herself in the mirror. A cherry blossom was tucked in her hair. She smiled. In the warm morning sunlight, her reflection glittered back at her. There was a faint purple streak in her ebony hair and her big violet eyes sparkled. Her cheeks were fuller and rosier and she realized suddenly that she was actually very pretty.

She started brushing her hair, humming a tune that she made up. After going through with her morning routine, she stepped out of her room to greet everyone in the living room.

---

"What? The entire investigation team from the 9th division was wiped out?"

"Well, the precise wording from the report was 'disappearance'."

"Disappearance? You mean no body was found?"

"No, the only things that remained were their attire, completely intact. The sashes still tied up and the socks still in the sandals."

"What is the order then?"

"The Captain wants to gather as many of the seated officers as possible in the headquarters to make preparations for the relief work to come, and to investigate with the 12th division about this sudden illness. All recuperating souls will be transferred to a central ward, but they should still be discharged according to schedule."

"You are kidding me. Everyone will still be discharged according to schedule with all these disappearances happening in _Rukongai_?"

"They say that only the lower districts of _Rukongai _East are affected. And it seems that, from the list I have here, no one scheduled to depart within this week are assigned to _Rukongai_ East."

Aino Matsu rubbed her temple, disconcerted by the whole situation.

"When will they have to start leaving?"

"A wagon is already on its way over. You should also start preparing to report to headquarters."

Aino nodded, before sliding the door shut. When she turned back towards the corridor, she came face to face with Hisana, pale-faced and looking apprehended. The girl spoke up first, her voice shaky, "Aino-san, I... I didn't mean to eavesdrop... But... is it... is it true that we are leaving today?"

"Yes Hisana-san. Best not to think too much about what you've just heard." Aino said briskly.

Aino felt tired and listless. Another mission coming up again. But this time however the enemy is unknown. An invisible force that disseminated fear throughout _Seireitei_, fear that broke out of its containment and trickled down from the upper ranks to every common shinigami, sending the entire Gotei 13 in a general state of disquietude.

And disappearances?! An enemy that was not a tangible monster, with hands and legs and a head to cut off?! But wasn't that what they were trained to fight against? Wasn't how they had always fought? To fight the formidable hands-on, to cut through these menaces! One that was invisible, one that one could never dodge from, cut through, however much one is prepared to fight... the only rational expectation is inevitable doom, because isn't it that when the enemy was invisible, you had already lost half the battle?

"Run along now Hisana, and get your things ready. We will all be leaving soon." The petite girl in front of her nodded and hurried back towards her room. Aino now proceeded to the living room where most of the recuperating souls were to break the news to them.

Within half an hour, everyone was gathered in front of the cottage, a foreboding silence in the air. Aino Matsu had refrained from letting them in the details of why they were moving. However, as if these souls had already decided from the start they were at the mercy of the shinigamis, there seemed to be a general languid resignation for whatever unknown that was to come. Even Hana, usually cheeky and restless, was squatting down quietly in a corner, poking a centipillar with the end of a stick.

Aino jerked her head up at the the trampling sound of hooves and the clattering of a wagon. She brought up a hand and saluted her colleague, shielding her eyes with her other hand from the glare of the Sun. She watched as her colleague helped everyone up the wagon, watched as little Aki tripped over her own kimono and Hisana pulled the girl up to her feet, wiping her face with her own handkerchief. Watched, like an outsider, as grandpa Watanabe hobbled towards the wagon now, raising his walking stick in stubborn annoyance when her colleague offered to help him up.

Aino could not help but smile a little. It was a funny sight, in a way, since despite his elderly physique, he was no doubt much much younger than she was.

Aino waved a little as the wagon pulled off. She did not feel emotional in the least. She was a shinigami after all. And for shinigamis, it was important to keep one's composure through all sorts of situations. Aino tightened her fists.

Locking the cottage behind her now, she picked up her bundle of luggage and leaped on to the roof, running against the wind to her division's headquarters.

---

Hana and Aki huddled close to Hisana, their little hearts pulsating wildly at each bump that the wagon rolled over on that rocky path. Aki tightened her grip on Hisana's kimono, her face frozen in a strange expression that was between crying and a strong resolution to keep the tears contained. She relaxed a little when she felt Hisana's hand on her head, gently stroking it.

"It's going to be alright. We're just moving to another ward, that's all."

Aki looked up to see that Hisana nee-chan was smiling down at her reassuringly.

"But isn't it true that we're moving because there are monsters in Soul Society? And isn't it true that they're still sending us away with the monsters out there?" Hana asked, her voice screechy.

Aki clasped her hands over her ears. "Stop it Hana-chan! Don't say that!" She could feel the familiar rising of a lump in her throat that always preceded the tsunami of tears.

"Shut up shrimp! You're just making it worse!" Udo snapped at Hana, motioning with a tip of his head to where Aki was, her eyes squeezed shut tightly to prevent the tears from coming.

Hisana said nothing. She continued stroking Aki's head and tightened the clasp of her hand over Hana's shoulder. Her face remained calm and expressionless as they passed walls and walls of nameless trees.

Nothing in that warm, cheerful weather could betray the dread that loomed over the little wagon as it hauled itself up and up to where that big rundown wooden structure was. The clank, clank, clank of the wheels counted down to their eventual expulsion from this paradise where eternal life should be as promised to the suffering, mortal man.

The central ward was crowded when the little wagon stopped in the middle of its little courtyard. Counts and counts of souls were wandering around as they got off from their wagons. There were the disaccorded cries of little children, the loud shouts from the shinigamis who were coordinating the scene, the calling of women for their children, the swearing of men and a general excited chatter that formed the base of this unpleasant commotion.

After getting off the wagon, Hisana followed the group into the building quietly. They stood in a queue, waiting to be checked off the list and told where to go. Hisana looked around worriedly, wondering if Rukia was already here. _Will she be taken care of personally by a shinigami since she is after all still a baby? Or will they actually let her wander around on the floor on her hands and knees like those poor toddlers over there? _Hisana pursed her lips and waited as patiently as she could, all the while wrapping her arms around herself to keep herself sane and calm. She focused her gaze on Aki and Hana in front of her, making sure that they did not get pushed out of her sight in the chaos. She also tried to keep herself looking as composed as she could despite feeling conspicuous in her exquisite gown and expensive jewelries among a room of mostly impoverished looking souls. It did not help though that lewd, crude looking men were ogling her and a nasty looking woman was throwing her contemptuous glances.

Finally, when it was her turn at the clerk's table, she took Aki and Hana's hands and walked forward. She gave her name, and the full names of Aki and Hana. The clerk nodded. "All from the same Soul Recuperation Centre?" "Yes, sir." "Here's the key to your room. You are all scheduled to depart tomorrow six in the morning. Go down the hallway behind this desk, turn to the right and go up three stories." Just as the clerk was waving her off, Hisana quickly asked, "Sir, I have a sister who was staying in another ward. I am wondering if she is here already, and if it is possible that I can be reunited with her?"

"Name?"

"Rukia, Rukia with the same surname."

"A Rukia, you said?" The clerk flipped through the pages of his large notebook.

"Aha! Rukia... arrived this morning at 9, is scheduled to depart today at 1 in the afternoon, that is, in ten minutes."

"I beg your pardon? How is this possible sir? We're both assigned to the same district!" Hisana asked sharply, alarmed.

"I am sorry miss, I am simply following orders from above."

"Where? Sir, where is she now?"

The clerk shrugged and lazily called out, "Next."

"Wait sir, please." Hisana cried as the man behind her jostled his way forward.

Hisana tried to move back towards the table, squeezing herself through the crowd of people. "Please sir, just let me know where she is!"

The clerk ignored Hisana and continued jotting down notes in his book. _He is not going to help me at all! _Hisana thought fervently. She turned around sharply and made her way to the centre of the hall, sweeping her eyes around the room for any baby that would resemble Rukia. When she was done looking through the hall, she did not know if she was relieved or just simply horrified to not see Rukia anywhere - relieved because that meant Rukia was not like one of those abandoned children, crawling or loitering around, exposed to all sorts of danger; but horrified because that also meant Rukia might already be on her way to some unknown faraway place.

Hisana ran out of the building now, scanning the courtyard. There were already wagons moving out of the courtyard. _How much time has it been? Five minutes? _Hisana turned to one side of the courtyard where some people were getting onto wagons.

"Excuse me!" She cried, "Has anyone seen a baby by the name of Rukia? She's my sister!"

Men, women, and children looked at her as she frantically made her way through the lines and lines of people. "Rukia!" Hisana called, tears rushing to her eyes. She sweltered in her kimono, and felt a drop of sweat slide down her face.

"Has anyone seen my sister?" She cried hoarsely. She had already gone through all the wagons and the lines of people waiting to get onto empty ones. But no Rukia in sight at all!

Just as she was about to go deranged with anxiety and grief, a moving wagon caught her eyes. And on the wagon, she saw a pink bundle in the arms of an old lady. _Rukia! _

Hisana pushed her way forward and ran after the wagon as fast as she could. "Stop! Please stop the wagon!" She cried. _I must go on, faster! _She urged herself, ignoring the pain in her lungs.

Her shouts startled the kindly-looking old woman, who saw her and immediately alerted the shinigami driving the wagon. The wagon came to a halt and everyone on the wagon turned back to look back at her. It took Hisana a few more seconds to reach the wagon. Stopping in front of the shinigami driver now, she heaved and panted, trying to catch her breath. The shinigami, a thin, unpleasant looking man stared down at her.

"Sir," Hisana gasped, still out of breath. "My sister Rukia is on this wagon. I was told that she and I were assigned to the same destination. May I please take my sister back so that we can leave together tomorrow?"

"Nope, that is out of question. I have a name list here. And Rukia you said? Rukia, yes. She is on the list. I have to get going now lady. As you can see you are holding up the traffic." He said wryly, pointing at the wagons with their neighing horses waiting impatiently behind.

"But sir," Hisana protested, "Rukia and I are supposed to be headed to the same destination."

"I don't know what the original plan was 'supposed' to be. In any case I am not going to let this Rukia get off the wagon. Now get out of the way."

He flung his horse whip at Hisana.

Hisana shrank away but looked up once more with determination as she pleaded again, "Sir, wait! May I get on the wagon then? I just need to be with Rukia. I am begging you! Please!"

"Well then just let her get on." A grumpy looking man spoke with a gruff from his seat while the other passengers looked on interested.

"Quickly now!" The shinigami commanded.

Hisana scampered to the back of the wagon and clumsily climbed up, helped by a couple of others already on board.

Once seated, she eagerly took Rukia from the old woman's arms, verifying with a brush of her fingers under the pink bundle that this was indeed the blanket she had embroidered for Rukia, and confirmed it when she saw Rukia's face peering back at her. "Nee...!" Rukia squealed.

"Rukia!" Hisana breathed, her shoulders falling as she heaved a deep sigh of relief. "Oh Rukia! What would I do if I had lost you?" Hisana whispered hugging Rukia and burying her face on little Rukia's shoulder. Hisana wept freely now, ignoring the other passengers on the wagon. She didn't care what they thought, having been so close to losing the only thing that mattered most to her. She didn't care to know at the moment either where they were heading to. What mattered most was that she had managed to reach Rukia in the nick of time...

---

Byakuya could not concentrate at all tonight. He wondered why Hisana had not come to see him. It was by now past the time when she would burst out of the woods like the light illuminating the darkness of the night. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on finding her _reiatsu_. There was nothing. She did not seem to be in the vicinity.

_Maybe... maybe you scared her off with that note you left her..? _A voice in him spoke timidly.

_Or maybe, you were being too forward, what with abducting her to your mansion last night and then leaving her a branch of flowers? _

Byakuya shook his head, cringing at those thoughts.

But still, if she were already leaving tomorrow, perhaps, well, he had hoped that she would at least come and say goodbye one last time, especially since he had shown her so much goodwill over the past couple of days.

Ever since hearing about the trouble at _Rukongai _this morning, he had even thought that maybe he could take her and her sister in to the Kuchiki mansion. It would of course be much safer for them there.

But on what terms should they enter the Kuchiki mansion? He had thought long and hard about that. He could not just turn up with a young girl and an infant at the mansion demanding extra quarters for them. What would his grandfather say? What would everyone else _think_? He would not bring them in as servants either, even though that would be the least awkward and the easiest means of introduction. It would just be insulting to Hisana. And then he had thought, with a thump of his heart, _as his wife?_ This way, she could be kept safe under his watch, while also enjoy an esteemed position in the household which he hoped for her, without suffering any humiliation.

Then, that had meant he would need to bring up this proposition to her tonight.

But where was Hisana?!

Finally too fazed to do any training at all, Byakuya sheathed _Senbonzakura_ and shun-poed to where her ward was. It was dark and quiet inside. He moved to the side of the cottage and looked into her room. There was nobody.

He could not feel any _reiatsu _from the cottage. There was no one in there at all.

Frowning Byakuya tried to slide open the front door but it was locked.

_Has she already left? _Byakuya wondered, feeling his heart sink. _Didn't she say she was leaving in two days? _

There was no use moping about, he decided finally.

Tightening his fists, Byakuya shun-poed towards 4th division's headquarters, determined to find out what had happened.

---


	11. Chapter 10: First Night in Rukongai

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**Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 10: First Night In Rukongai_

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A particularly violent jolt woke Hisana up. She shivered and hugged the sleeping Rukia closer to her. It was already night-time and there were only two other passengers left on board the forlorn little wagon, still tiredly marching on. Ever since the wagon had started off on its journey towards an unknown destination, it had been rolling on and on, first out of those impressive grand gates that separated _Seireitei_ from the outside towns, then along the crowded narrow streets, lined on each sides by neat and standard white houses, entering after several streets into the woods, which seemed obvious thereafter to Hisana that they were the barriers dividing the different districts of _Rukongai_. She had noted too, with slight alarm that each town they entered appeared to be more desolate than the previous. She had waited, hoped, prayed, at every stop the shinigami driving the wagon made, for Rukia's name to be called. But no sooner had she convinced her heart to calm down, would it race again in mounting anxiety and despair as she watched another luckier passenger stand up to get down from the wagon. She must have dozed off then, after the wagon entered yet another path into the woods after exiting the 18th town.

Hisana rubbed her eyes lightly and looked at Rukia for a moment before observing her surroundings. She squinted a little, trying to make out the buildings on each side of the wagon in these poorly-lit streets.

The wagon came to a halt. "Rukongai South 78th district," the shinigami at the head of the wagon announced, "xxx Rukia," he turned to look at Hisana from the list in his hand, "you two will be getting off here."

"Hai..." Hisana said shakily. She stood up, holding the side of the wagon to balance herself. She looked down at the ground from the wagon. _How would she get down there?_ Putting one leg over the side, and then the other tentatively, she slid clumsily onto the ground when she lost her grip. She winced at the momentary sharp pain in her left foot.

"You will be housed with Madame Kinjo and her family, in house 56. Turn to the left when you reach a junction and go down the first alley you see. Keep going straight from there and you will see the house."

Hisana nodded. "Arigatou."

Without glancing back at her, the shinigami raised the reins and drove off.

_House 56. Madame Kinjo. _Hisana ran the intructions through her head as she hurried forward. The street was extremely deserted and dark. Hisana wondered where she was, what this district was like. Rukia stirred in her arms. "Nee...?" She cooed. Hisana patted Rukia. When she reached the junction that the shinigami had described, Hisana heaved a sigh of relief and turned to the street on the left. _Alley...alley..._ _Where was this alley?_

"Hey! Hey!"

Hisana kept her head down and kept walking forward.

"Hey miss! I am talking to ya!"

The man who had called out trailed behind her, slurring drunken words. Hisana quickened her pace, and bit her lip. From a distance, she could hear the sound of breaking wine pots and the angry voices of men. As soon as she saw an alley, she turned in and looked on both sides of the street, trying to make out the numbers outside the doors. _60, 63, 66, 69...._ _no! Wrong direction! _Before Hisana could turn back towards the main street, she could hear heavy footsteps advancing from behind.

Instinctively, Hisana lifted her kimono and started running. The footsteps behind her also quickened. She turned into every corner she saw, while frantically searching for an opened door. She was not sure if she had lost her pursuer, but her heart was pounding so loudly that every beat sounded like his heavy footstep right on trail behind her.

At the corner of her eye just then, Hisana thought she saw a flicker of light. She looked right and saw a door ajar. Slipping through the door, Hisana shut it close and put down the latch. She crouched down and held her breath. She pressed an ear to the door while glancing back at the structure behind her. It was a deserted temple. Across the small courtyard that later took Hisana four steps to traverse, was a shelter that housed the figurine of a female deity whom Hisana did not recognise. And beside it, a broken little shed.

Hisana suddenly felt the presence of a dark shadow over her from behind the door. _It was it._ There was no doubt about that heavy, fearful aura which had enveloped Hisana and alarmed her body run away. Except now that it was on the other side of the door, the horror that struck Hisana was many times magnified. She froze paralysed with fear as her gaze was fixated forward, staring at the blank white wall that separated the temple from the house next door. Hisana wished she could quiet down the heavy pounding of her heart, lest it should allow her pursuer to confirm her presence behind the door, even though later when she thought about it, _it_ probably already knew she was behind it but somehow could not cross over.

After what seemed like eternality, the heavy, sinister aura lifted and Hisana could finally breathe again. Rukia had also started softly weeping. "It's okay now, don't cry Rukia." Hisana whispered, still shaken and afraid to hear her own voice. She rocked Rukia in her arms. Glancing over at the figurine now, she slowly stood up. Hesitantly, she walked over to the temple. This deity had no name.

_Whoever you are, thank you for bringing us here. Thank you for protecting us. _Hisana bowed but was afraid to lift her eyes, dreading to see something that she shouldn't. _With all due respect, please allow us to take shelter here tonight. We will forever be grateful to you and will never forget to express our gratitude. _

Straightening up herself now, Hisana turned to the broken shed next to the temple. Pushing open the door, she stepped in. The shed was so small that if she had extended her arm she could even touch the ceiling. There was nothing inside the shed, save an extinguished lamp, a broken mat, and a few books. Sitting down in a corner against the wall, Hisana looked down at Rukia, who had quieted down. "Are you tired, baby Rukia? Are you scared?" Hisana chuckled. "You wouldn't be scared would you? You probably don't even know what is going on little one!" Rukia gave a small murmur. She reached up a hand to brushed Hisana's cheek. "Just to think, dear Rukia, that they were sending you to this place. I am so glad I found you in time. What would have happened to you all alone here my baby? Oh! I am scared to even think about it!"

"Gah..gah?" Rukia tilted her head to a side, making incomprehensible baby noises, as if speaking to Hisana.

Hisana gave a small smile, sadly amused. She sighed, hugging Rukia close to her. "What is going on...? Oh dear God, what is going on?"

Keeping Rukia warm in her arms, Hisana closed her eyes. She suddenly felt very tired as she relaxed her back against the wall behind her. Rukia's eyelids too, started drooping. "Go to sleep, dear Rukia." Hisana murmured, feebly struggling to stay awake before Rukia drifted off to sleep. Just as Hisana felt herself slipping away into dreamland too, she felt a wet drop on her hand. Frowning to lift her eyelids, she saw in half consciousness, shimmering under the moonlight, another drop of tear sliding down Rukia's cheek.

----

"I do not quite understand what you mean by this." Byakuya said coolly, flinging down the report onto the table in front of the poor, startled woman who had the particular fortune to be on duty this morning at the reception of the fourth division's office.

"But sir, it is as the report says, the said Hisana-san that you are looking for has disappeared. She was due to depart this earlier morning from the Central Ward but she had not turned up at the assigned departure time for her group." The woman stammered, intimated already by the presence of the famous Kuchiki heir, but now further more flustered and panicked by the hard, frigid menace in his voice.

"However, I have been informed yesterday night that said Hisana-san has checked into the Central ward by one of your colleagues, and in good faith, I had waited until this morning before coming again, since otherwise I would have disrespected your visiting hours. And now, I am told that the person I was wishing to speak to has disappeared. A _patient_ of the fourth division."

"I apologise sir, I shall check with my other colleagues to see if they have information on Hisana-san. I do apologise sir."

Byakuya stared down at the woman in front of him, barely able to hide his disgust and anger.

"There is no need," he replied acidly. "Give me all the files you have on this person and I shall do the rest myself."

"But sir, we do not have the authority to…"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow and casually adjusted the fine, rich _haori_ that he wore over his shinigami uniform. "Captain Unohana would certainly be most displeased, I can imagine, with this sort of remissness and insouciance your team apply upon your duties." Byakuya interjected. "The disappearance of a patient is a very grave negligence on the part of your team, is it not?"

"Even so, sir…"

"Yo Byakuya!" Byakuya grimaced despite himself. This boisterous voice, this impertinent greeting… It was without doubt, his vice-captain, Shiba Kaien.

"Good morning, vice-captain." Byakuya replied, turning around stiffly to acknowledge his superior.

"So what are you doing here so early in the morning... not giving anyone any trouble, I hope?"

Byakuya clenched his fists.

Grinning, Kaien gave Byakuya a hearty slap in the back and winked at the receptionist, who was evidently relieved by Kaien's interference. "What are you up to huh? Not plotting anything treacherous here are we?"

"Vice-captain, I am here for personal reasons."

Kaien narrowed his eyes are peered at Byakuya, which seemed to make the younger man cringe.

"I suppose I shall come back another time to finish my business here," Byakuya finally spoke, eager to get as far away as possible from his vice-captain, his mere presence causing him the most excruciating discomfort and annoyance. He turned abruptly and strode towards the door, evidently displeased and aggravated.

Kaien watched and waited till the young man was out of the door. He wondered why Byakuya would show up at the fourth division… when usually he would be in the office working assiduously away at this time of the day. _Dang_! Kaien thought, rubbing his head and twitching his nose in irritation, _I forgot to tell him off for not being at work!_ Kaien frowned, _What a stuck up asshole! That impertinent little brat!_

Scowling, he turned back to the receptionist, his usually comical countenance suddenly serious, "Suzuki-san, isn' it?" He asked, motioning at the receptionist's nametag.

"Yes, vice-captain Shiba."

"I would like you to look up for me the whereabouts of a certain Hisana… a soul who had been recuperating at one of the fourth's clinics and who was due to depart for her final destination this morning. The host with whom I am acquainted informed me that said Hisana-san failed to turn up at her door this morning, and that the team from the fourth dispatched to her area to escort souls did not have any information on her whereabouts…"

---

The first thing that Hisana woke up to that morning was the sound of Rukia's painful wailings. Groggily, she had forced open her eyes and began quickly patting the bundle in her arms, hemming, her voice raspy from sleep, a soothing lullaby. Her body felt stiff and tired from sleeping sitting up, and her arms ached having clenched on tightly to Rukia the whole night. She shifted the weight of Rukia to one of her arms and delicately rubbed her eyes with the other. It was morning. The Sun was filtering through the gaps between the wooden planks that put together the shed, and she could hear, from where she was behind the temple's gates and safely hidden, the noisy shouts of activity from outside. She glanced down at Rukia and attempted to stroke her cheek, but the obstinate baby only pushed her finger away, wailing all the while.

Hisana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was feeling lethargic, and to her surprise, hungry. Not extremely hungry, but hungry enough to make her stomach groan a little as she sat up. Her stomach's quiet groan, however, was followed by a loud rumbling from that of Rukia's. Hisana chuckle in spite of herself. "So that is why you are throwing such a tantrum Rukia! You are hungry, aren't you?" Hisana said softly, and wearily held Rukia up. Rukia blinked and screamed even louder, thrusting her little fists and feet about. "Alright, alright!" Hisana said, good-natured as ever, "Nee-san will get up and we will go out to see what we can get, okay?" Leaning one arm against the wall for support now, Hisana got up slowly, gave her back a slight stretch, and readjusted Rukia in her arms.

"Oh dear!" She exclaimed, however, when a sudden thought crossed her mind, "I forgot, I am rather penniless right now! I wonder how exchange is done in Soul Society!" Hisana bent down to pick up her pouch and opened it. Inside, she had a few pennies and dimes. She wondered if money from the real world would worth anything here. Just as she was pulling the strings of her pouch to close it, her eyes landed on her sapphire ring. Lowering her eyes now, she bit her lower lip and contemplated for a moment, before setting Rukia down on the floor slowly. She pulled out her ring, her jade earrings, marble bracelet, and put them into her pouch. She reached behind her neck now to undo the fastener of her necklace but paused when she said the golden engravings of her name upon it. "I suppose," she said softly, "I suppose it is alright if I keep this… right Rukia?" She turned to smile at Rukia who was no longer wailing as loudly, but was whimpering while she watched, interested, as her sister peeled off, one by one, her jewelleries. Hisana slipped the pouch into the sash around her waist and bent down to pick up Rukia once more. "Let's go now, shall we, Rukia?"

Hisana held Rukia tightly as she stepped out of the shed. She turned, for a while and let her gaze rest on the figurine of the guardian of this temple. She bowed deeply, straightened up, and looked at the figurine again. She wondered who this deity was, this deity with the serene expression, who seemed to look like she was smiling back at her. Hisana lowered her eyes and turned towards the door, turning back once more to silently thank her before stepping out.

The alley under the bright sunlight seemed less sinister than it was the night before. A couple of old men sat at the side of the street, playing a marble game, and fanning themselves. They looked up at her curiously when she passed by, and she nodded at them out of habit, smiled and greeted, "Konnichiwa!" She felt quite a little embarrassed when they sat nothing but continued staring after her, as if surprised by her greeting. Hisana felt her cheeks burn a little but continued on her way, trying not to feel too self-conscious. When she reached the main street, she widened her eyes in surprise and horror. Each side of the street was lined with worn down stone cottages, and the streets themselves were littered with rubble and detritus. A faint nauseating smell of sweat and waste hit Hisana's nose sharply. Hisana pressed her lips together to keep from retching. Her eyes watered and she swallowed, taking a few breaths to keep herself going.

A few stalls were set up on the side of the streets, selling food, water, liquor, and all sorts of trinkets. A few young boys were running about bare-footed, and bare-chested men hung about the streets, waving pots of wine in their hands. Wide-eyed, Hisana walked slowly along the street, careful with every step she took lest she should dirty her cloth slippers. She kept her eyes lowered, fearful of making eye contact with the leering men whose glances she felt from all directions. Finally, relieved when she saw a woman behind a booth selling pastries, she made her way over across the streets, keeping her head low and avoiding the little boys who darted about.

"Good morning Madame," Hisana said politely as she approached the pastry booth. The woman looked back at her and grunted "Mornin'." The pastries on display looked stale and unappetizing. Hisana carefully scrutinized the display in front of her and picked out two relatively edible looking buns. "I would like to buy these two please." Hisana said, motioning the two buns. "20 pence each." Hisana promptly reached into her sash, pulled out her pouch and counted two pence for the woman. The woman grudgingly took the money and peered at them. "Hold it there missy!" She growled as Hisana was about to pick up the buns. "You tryin' to cheat your way with these fake money huh. I don't recognise these coins you gave me." She threw the coins back towards the table and glared down at Hisana. "I am sorry, Madame." Hisana said, startled, "I am new here, so I was not aware. But please do let me know where I can exchange what I have for the money you use here."

"Go down the street to your right and turn into the first alley on your right. You'll see the blacksmith. He might take what you have."

"Thank you madame." Hisana said, bowing slightly, for despite the woman's grouchiness, she felt grateful to her for pointing out directions to her. She did however, feel a little disappointed since she had really wanted to appease Rukia's hunger as soon as possible. She glanced down at her sister, who was now lying limply in her arms. It did hit her then, that the last time Rukia probably had a proper meal was more a day ago. At this thought, she quickened her pace, and hurried towards the indicated direction.

The blacksmith's shop was a small, dingy little room, on the first floor of the first house in the alley. The heat that was burning from the furnace inside the room hit Hisana's face as she looked in. The piercing shriek of colliding metals covered over Hisana's voice as she called in to catch the attention of the man working with his hammer and other tools on a metal bar. Finally, when Hisana stepped across the threshold of the doorway, effectively blocking the Sun, he looked up and stopped his hammering.

He was a man in his late twenties, lean and dark with the most intense blue-eyes Hisana had ever seen. His arms glistened with sweat and his face smeared with black tar.

"Yes?" He asked, irritated.

"Good morning sir, I was told that I can exchange my money for Soul Society's currency here." Hisana replied.

Grunting, he put down his tools and stood up. He made his way over towards the door and looked down at Hisana. "Show me what you've got," he said wearily.

Hisana reached into her pouch and took out all the coins she had and dropped them onto the blacksmith's outstretched palm. He brought them close to his face and began examining them in the sunlight.

"Mmm… these are very crude copper and bronze alloy. I cannot give you much for these," he reached into the pockets of his trousers and pulled out an oblong shaped coin. "Here's ten pence, that's all I can give you." Trembling, Hisana reached out and took the coin from his hand.

"But sir, I've at least given you at least 50 pence…" She stammered. "This," she continued, looking at the miserable coin on her palm, "won't even be enough to buy a bun…"

The blacksmith shrugged and pocketed the money, "I am sorry miss, that's as much as I can give you. You know," he added, irritated, "you should be glad I am taking these. I don't usually do charity." He growled. "Do you have any other business here?"

"Is there another blacksmith around here?"

"I am the only one in this town."

"Then, please, maybe you can look at this, and give me a more reasonable price?" Hisana said in a low tone, bringing out her jade earrings from her pouch.

The blacksmith took them indifferently and cast a glance at them. He fingered the jade butterflies and considered them for a minute or two. Then shrewdly, he looked up at Hisana, with a new expression on his face, and said, "These are indeed exquisite miss. I dare say they can be sold for a hundred or two yens." Seeing Hisana's elated face, he smirked, continuing, "However, unfortunately, I cannot imagine anyone in this town buying them. As you can see miss, this is a very poor town." Before Hisana could speak, he quickly added, "But." He grinned, "But, I can always be your middleman miss. I will sell them to the passing merchants at the highest price I can bid."

Hisana held her breath. "Really sir? You can do this sir?"

"Of course miss," he said, eyeing her pouch hungrily and sweeping his eyes over her figure. "I do take a commission however, of forty percent."

Hisana frowned. This man surely was trying to swindle her. Just as she was debating over whether or not to take her earrings back, Rukia began crying anew, but this time, her cries were weak and soft. Hisana felt for Rukia's hand. It was ice cold. Ice cold under the blazing sun.

"Will you be able to give me the money now sir?" Hisana asked, her eyes lowered.

"Of course miss, of course! So as I was saying, I would assume these would make at most two hundred yen, and just to be safe, a hundred and fifty yen. Taking forty percent out for me, would leave… mmm… ninety yen for you."

Hisana nodded. This was much less than what her earrings were worth, she knew, but at least ninety yen sounds like a sum sound enough for Rukia and her to get by for a while without too much problems. Or maybe… her heart skipped a beat at that thought… maybe this might earn her enough to bring them out of this destitute town and into a better one!

But before Hisana could give it more of a thought, a loud female voice, strong and clear as bell rang out behind her, "Takeshi! Fleecing money from your customers again huh?"

Hisana turned around to see a tall, voluptuous woman standing outside near the doorway.

"Kinjo?" Takeshi the blacksmith looked up grimly, "What brings you here?"

---

**AN: **A million apologies to everyone for this long overdue update! I hope you didn't think I have abandoned the story! I have been itching to write everyday but school work always gets in the way! In a few weeks my semester is going to end, but I'll be traveling again and there will be summer work to go to! T.T I promise however, that I will update _Lady Kuchiki_ as frequently as I can (and I hope the next update won't be months away… most likely I will update again in at most two weeks).

I am sorry for the OCs again in this chapter! And I know everyone wants to see some ByaHisana action soon, but like I've said at the beginning, I want to give Hisana more development and to explore her history pre-Byakuya a bit more. But no worries, after about two more chapters, we should get to see Bya and Hisana again! So bear with me please!

And oh, I know in the past I don't really ask, but I would really really appreciate it if you guys can REVIEW! Constructive criticisms would be appreciated too! I would really love to hear what you think about the story!


	12. Chapter 11: Shattered

**  
Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 11: Shattered_

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"What brings _me_ here? What brings me _here_?" The woman whom the blacksmith had called "Kinjo" threw her head back and laughed. She lifted a foot and stepped onto the threshold of the door, her loose, short, yukata sliding to reveal a curvy leg.

Hisana took a few steps back, staring at the woman in awe.

"Why Takeshi dear," she purred, swaying her hips as she moved her way through the threshold of the door and past Hisana into the little hut. "Why the gloomy face now?" She stood in front of Takeshi, her face level with his. Hisana could see the evident discomfort on the blacksmith's face, his eyes shifted when Kinjo brought her face close to his, peering at him from the corners of her eyes. "Did you not think I would come back to settle _things_ after what you had tried to do with one of my girls?"

"Dunno what your talking about." Takeshi hissed and angrily spat to the ground.

Kinjo laughed again. "There is no need to get defensive Takeshi. The girl has already confessed everything. Kinjo-sama, he, of course, was livid. You know what happens to customers who don't pay and take too much liberties my boy." She sneered, gripping Takeshi's chin and yanking it so that he met her eyes. Takeshi knocked her arm away but maintained the glare.

"What did you do with her?"

"What are you talking about dear?" Kinjo purred, "Of course we didn't do anything to the poor girl. But you do know now by your mistake you have confined her to a rather bleak prospect... there will be no way the child can be of value anymore... no one wants to pay for used goods... much less... one used by a scamp like you!" Kinjo gave Takeshi a push on his chest. "Pay back Takeshi!" She continued, growling as she encroached upon the young man, "Pay us back the same price she would have gotten had you not spoiled everything and we will leave you alone!"

"There's no fucking way I am doing that bitch!" Takeshi said through gritted teeth, his fists clenched.

"Why, you cheating little scum!"

"Don't you come one more step forward, I warn you Kinjo..."

"Or else what Takeshi?" Kinjo asked threateningly. "What do you think _you _can do huh?"

"Take these then." Takeshi tossed Hisana's jade earrings to Kinjo. "Got 'em today from the towns. Those are precious you know... stuff from the _shinigamis_' cargoes."

Hisana gasped when she saw Kinjo held up her earrings and examined them in the sunlight.

"W..wait." Hisana stammered. "These... " she began before she caught the deadly look Takeshi shot her. Kinjo turned towards her and then sharply back at Takeshi. "Shinigami my arse. You got them from that missy over there. And the money, where is the money for these Takeshi? You ain't no fleecing from anyone anymore today."

Takeshi glowered. "You ain't any different Kinjo. You bleed your girls dry."

"I teach them what life means..." Kinjo turned to Hisana now, remembering the quiet, interesting-looking girl in the corner. She shot her a wide smile which was supposed to look apologetic. Hisana bowed her head a little in reciprocating acknowledgment. "Now, Takeshi, give back to this ojou-san the amount you owe her." Kinjo said, all the while keeping her gaze on Hisana. She walked towards her, bringing a hand to her head and feeling her soft, silky hair. "And you my dear, what may a proper little lady like you doing here?" She asked in a sweet voice.

_This is Madame Kinjo..._ Hisana thought, her heart sinking with despair. _This is the Madame Kinjo whom Rukia was assigned to live with... _

Kinjo, still smiling down widely at Hisana, blinked her eyes and said nonchalantly. "And why, your little companion here looks like she will grow up to be a sweet little girl!" She brought her head down towards Rukia, and was about to touch her cheek when Hisana pulled back with an involuntary shiver. Kinjo chuckled. "My apologies dear. I mean no harm," she held up her hands and gave an innocent shrug. "You see, I am waiting for a baby girl assigned to me by Soul Society myself. But she never arrived and I was so looking forward to having another daughter... another little girl to call my own... How I wish my little girl would be as pretty as yours..." Kinjo paused and shook her head sadly. When Hisana's shocked, pale face showed no response, she quickly continued, knitting her brows now in mock worry, "But why, you look like you're new here my child. Have you got a place to stay yet?"

"Don't even dream about laying your hands on this girl Kinjo. Miss," Takeshi said, turning to Hisana, "you don't want to let this bitch get her hands on you, you hear? She runs the local prostitute house." He sneered eyeing Kinjo triumphantly.

Kinjo raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, coolly regarding Takeshi with the same contemptuous look. "Don't you get cheeky with me yet boy," she spat. "You still haven't settled your account. These junk aren't even worth a tenth of what you owe!" She snarled, dangling Hisana's earrings with her fingers. "You just wait here, you'll see. Kinjo-sama will come get you soon."

Kinjo turned back to eye Hisana now coldly, "And you pretty face, listen well, my offer for you to come stay with us still holds. Life isn't easy you know. You've got to earn your keep. Our girls are the most well off in town." Kinjo bent down now and looked at Hisana with narrowed eyes as she added with a curl of her lips, "Just so you know darling, by your look and the type of girl you seem to be, I almost expect you to come running over to me in less than a week!" She laughed maliciously and gave Hisana's cheek a little pat. "It's house 56 dear, remember it well!"

She straightened up now and swept past Takeshi, stopping only to spit spitefully on the ground near him.

---

After Kinjo has left, Hisana felt herself begin breathing again. She was glad she did not go knocking on Kinjo's door the night before, and even more relieved that Rukia did not end up in her hands. Hisana took a step back and leaned against the wall, her body, too, suddenly returning to their senses and the forgotten hunger took over again.

"Here," Takeshi spoke up, handing her a cold piece of bun. "Take this and wait while I get the money." Hisana looked up and nodded, breathing a word of thanks. She slid down against the wall and sat on the floor, tearing the bun and devouring her portion hungrily before tearing little shreds for Rukia to chew on.

"Have some, Rukia." Hisana said softly, putting a shred near Rukia's lips. Rukia opened her mouth and also chewed hungrily, but spat it out almost immediately afterwards, her little mouth downturned in disgust as another wailing session threatened to commence. Hisana quickly rocked Rukia gently and cooed, "Yes dear, yes Rukia, I know it is not what you are used to... but you must have some... " Rukia's stomach groaned at the moment. Hisana laughed and continued, "See Rukia? Now be a good girl and do your best!" Rukia opened her mouth and tentatively took a bite. She chewed the food, frowning all the while, and pressed her lips together when she forced the food down the throat. Hisana chuckled softly, amused. She patted Rukia and kissed her forehead.

"Hey miss!" Takeshi called from the room at the back of the shop, "Come here a moment will you?"

"Hai!" Hisana replied. She set Rukia down onto the floor and put another shred of bun in her little fist, keeping away the rest in her pocket. She walked towards the room and slid open the door.

"Yes mister?" She called.

Takeshi was standing inside the room, lit by the one or two rays of sunlight that shone through the gaps of the wooden planks. He held up a string of coins.

Hisana tentatively took one more step in and he handed her the money.

"Count it," he said curtly. "The round coins are ten yens and the square ones 5. The smaller square ones are 1 yen and the oblong ones are 10 pence."

Hisana held up the string of coins and started counting. However, when she was done, she frowned and looked up at Takeshi. "Mister, there is only eighty yen here. I thought we agreed on 90 yen for my earrings... "

Before Hisana could finish, she felt Takeshi take hold of her wrists and push her against the wall. Her head hit it with a bang. Hisana winced. Takeshi pressed his body against hers and lowered his head to meet her eyes.

"Listen up missy," He growled, his voice low and menacing. "I told you earlier that I don't do charity. I saved your neck out there just now, and I gave you bread. You owe me this much."

"But..." Hisana protested, "But sir, you took a whole ten yen.... " She tried not to gag at the repulsive smell of sweat or Takeshi's heavy breath against her face.

Takeshi bent down now, his lips near her ear. He blew into her ear, his breath hot and whispered hoarsely, "Well my dear, if you want the whole ninety yen, the other option on the table, is to repay me in other ways... there are various other ways,... " He paused, licking her earlobe and teasing it softly with his teeth, "that a girl like you can repay me."

Hisana felt her heart freeze and her body numb with fear. _What is this man doing?_ "Please stop." Hisana said hoarsely.

"Are you sure? I will give you back the ten yen." Takeshi said, moving on to graze her neck with his lips now, pressing his nose against her skin to take in her scent.

Hisana swallowed and closed her eyes, her hands still tightly clinging on to the string of coins, her nails digging painfully into her palm. When she felt Takeshi's hand release her wrist to put them on her waist, and then started sliding it downwards from her back, she gripped his hand with her free hand and tried to push him away. "Stop now sir! Please! I don't want the money! Just stop!"

Takeshi smiled against her shoulder and kissed it before pulling away from her and straightening himself, looking down at her from his nose, smirking.

"Well then miss, thank you for your business. If there is anything you need, I will be here." He said nonchalantly and stepped by the door. "After you, miss." He said, in mock courtesy.

Hisana stepped back out into the front shop, her head swimming from confusion and physical dizziness, as the sizzling and hissing sound of the furnace greeted her. Whether the tears that suddenly came running down were from the smoke, or the painful swelling of her heart, Hisana did not know. She swallowed and sniffed, choking a little from the smoke she inhaled. She hurried towards Rukia, picked up the child and left the blacksmith's shop, without a word nor a glance backward.

---

Hisana breathed heavily as she trudged herself down the main street. Her face was messy with sweat and tears, and her arms were aching from carrying Rukia. The swelter of the afternoon heat was unbearable, and all around Hisana, the discord of the many voices of the street vendors' shouting, the cries of children, and the loud bickering of women and drunk, idle men made Hisana's head swim. Hisana could not believe that this was still Soul Society, the same one that she was in just the morning before. Here in this place – _where were they? Rukongai… the 78__th__ district? _– it was worlds away from the ethereal world of _Seireitei_ where birds chirped melodiously into the crisp, cool air, filled with the sweet fragrance of morning grass and the never ending bloom of sakura trees. _Is this really Heaven?_ _Am I still in Heaven? _

After fleeing from the blacksmith's workhouse, Hisana, had managed to mechanically made her way back to the cart where the woman had been selling buns, bought a whole dozen of them, and found herself and Rukia a little corner to sit in, feeding Rukia strips of buns. Upon seeing her sister desperately tearing her food with the few emerging little teeth she had in savage hunger, Hisana had then let her tears flow freely too, sobbing angry tears, feeling cheated, violated, alone in this strange, unfriendly town. Nobody paid any attention to her, her sobs drowned out by the commotion of the town, and she, a sight, no doubt, much too familiar to the residents of _Rukongai_'s _Inuzuri_.

Nearing the end of the main street, Hisana turned into a corner and saw a wagon. A wagon loaded with hay, firewood, and a multitude of other odds and ends. She ran over, noting the old man loading more items from the end of the wagon wordlessly, while an old woman – his wife most likely, carefully tying a neatly wrapped up package to the side of the harnessed horse at the front of the wagon, neighing restlessly as it waited for the journey to begin.

Hisana tightened her grip on Rukia and slowed down her pace as she approached the couple. "Ex…excuse me," she begin, her voice shaky from the earlier episode and disbelief at the possibility in front of her. The old couple looked over at Hisana. "Do you happen to be travelling out of this town?"

"I… If it is possible, would you please give me a ride mister? I have this much money here…" Hisana took out five yen, "Could you please take me as far away as you could for this much money?"

The old man exchanged a look with his wife. He turned back, Hisana's anxiously knitted eyebrows reflected in his tired, weary eyes. He turned back to his wife, sighed, then nodded and held out his hand for the money. Hisana gave a small smile of thanks and relief, biting her lips as she gave thanks to the god watching over her. The old man motioned for her to get onto the back of the wagon, and minutes after, when Hisana has settled there, the old woman came hurrying out of the house with another package which she gave to Hisana, smiling and looking up at her with kind, tired eyes.

"Why… this…" Hisana began, protesting. "I insist," the old woman said in her hoarse but gentle voice. "The journey will be long, and this little one here will no doubt need some refreshments," she said, putting a hand over Hisana's. "Thank you… thank you very much _obaa_-san." Hisana said, taking the package and setting it on her lap, grasping the old woman's hand sincerely.

The old woman nodded and took a step back as the old man held up the reins and the wheels started rolling. Hisana waved to the kindly old woman, the other hand clutching Rukia. As the figure of the old woman began to disappear, the wagon turned at the corner of the street and paused at the gate of the town. Hisana turned around at the sudden halt and looked up.

"_Rukongai_ South 78th district", it said. The old man held up pass and the red-faced guard nodded, signaling for the wagon to pass through.

In a little less than a day, Hisana found herself travelling again through the dark woods. She wondered somewhere along the way, why this kindly old couple were settled in this destitute town when they could travel to the next. In her anticipation for what seemed to be a more pleasant future, however, her musing about the old couple was soon forgotten.

---

"I am sorry sir, but Hisana-san has yet arrived." Hayashi Ryoichi, the plump, middle-aged looking owner of Hayashi Pastry Shop said apologetically, glancing nervously at Kuchiki Byakuya.

"But the wagon with the new arrivals came by last night?" The stoic young man with the cold, haughty eyes asked.

"Yes sir," Hayashi replied humbly, "we waited all night for Hisana-san's arrival. But neither she nor the infant girl mentioned in the family assignment letter from _Seireitei_ arrived from the wagon that came by this town."

Hayashi flinched a little when he noticed the corners of the young man's lips made a slight movement. The townsfolk passing by glanced over curiously from the side of the eyes, inquisitive about the presence of a _shinigami_, yet afraid to come too close. Hayashi bowed down his head, waiting for the _shinigami _to speak. Yet quite a moment had passed and still, the _shinigami_ stood there, wordless. He glanced up and saw the young man's eyes linger at the sign of the shop in the corner, his dark eyes cloudy and unreadable.

When he looked down, Hayashi quickly diverted his eyes back to the ground. He heard the sound of a few coins on his counter and felt a gust of wind against his hair. When he looked up again, the _shinigami_ was gone. He glanced back at the kitchen, where his wife was peeping out, scared, from the side of the doorway.

---

Back in _Seireitei_, Byakuya looked out into the stillness of the lake. It was dark, deep in the evening. Nothing really was out of place, this little hideout behind the now unused clinic of the fourth division his favourite haunt after the day's duty, to train, to muse, to breathe in the fresh wind blowing from the lake. Nothing was out of place, until just about a week ago, when Hisana appeared in his life, here. When his life was suddenly no longer occupied with only _shinigami_ duties, training, and his studies. When he had found a gentle friend, someone whom he found himself thinking about with a sort of tender affection, whose face stirred in him heavy longing, whose voice softened his heart, and whose presence calmed him and slowed down time. They had only known each other for a couple of days, and Byakuya wondered, was he overreacting to her departure? Did he have to go all the way like this for her? It was strange, out of character of him to be so involved with another individual. Indifferent most of his life, Byakuya could not help but feel unsettled by his obsession over this one girl. People had come and gone in his life, this was nothing new. Besides, he should have expected that they were to part in any case, her, a title-less human soul, bound for _Rukongai_ with almost no prospects of becoming _shinigami_, Soul Society's elite members; while he was the heir to the most prominent family in Soul Society, expected to uphold its centuries-old traditions, his life and duties already decided for him, dictated by the rules and customs that define his place in society. He knew what life was going to be for him – he was to continue excelling in his career as a _shinigami_, to excel in his cultural training, to study the management of his household… and when the time should come, a daughter of Soul Society's other noble families would be picked as his consort, and he would inherit his grandfather's position as the head of the family.

Where then, did Hisana-san fit in? And how would the elders react should he had developed their friendship further, and decided to take her as his wife? How scandalized they would be! Instead of frowning though, Byakuya could not help but smirk at the thought.

He took out Hisana's pink ribbon and gazed at it, her smile, her eyes once again materializing in his mind. He could still feel her in his arms, how light and frail she had seemed when he carried her back into her room on their last night together.

Looking up at the night sky, Byakuya wondered what could have happened to Hisana. She had left earlier than scheduled, and had yet to arrive at her designated family. He had tried contacting the _shinigami_ in charge of the little clinic, but had been informed that she had been sent out to the frontline where troops were fighting off the hollow attacks in _Rukongai East_. He had wanted to press for more information, but seeing how the Central 46 had decided to mobilize the _shinigami_ troops in emergency state, this was definitely not the time to press the matter, lest word of it should go to his grandfather. He would definitely be reprimanded for forgetting his priorities!

If he could just leave and search for her in the whole of Soul Society, as vast as it was, for her! If he could just abandon everything else! Byakuya shook his head.

A gust of wind blew by.

Hesitantly, Byakuya relaxed his grip on Hisana's ribbon. As it was about to flutter away however, he closed his fist quickly again.

---

Seven days had passed since the incident of the disappeared _Rukongai _residents of the lower eastern districts. A terrible fate had fallen onto a couple of captains, and the alleged traitors of the incident, Urahara Kisuke and Shihoin Yoruichi had escaped from Soul Society, disappearing into the human world. The Secret Mobile Corps had been dispatched to locate their whereabouts and to recapture them. But so far, there had not been news of any success.

Shiba Kaien strode down the street in the 30th district of West _Rukongai_. Earlier, there seemed to have been a conflict between the town's security forces and some rebel groups who had apparently come to the town from the lower districts. A representative of the force came to report to him, as a subordinate jotted down notes. The conflict seemed to have nothing to do with the hollow incident of a week before. They were just thugs and conmen who had invaded the town, no doubt with their eyes on the town's relative wealth.

Kaien looked around casually, impatient with the man's roundabout way of reporting when something caught his eyes.

He motioned for the man to pause and strode over to the pile lying at the corner of the street – a torn, blood-stained, silk kimono, pink and white with familiar embroidered patterns.

Feeling his heart skip a beat, Kaien knelt down and brought a hand over the fabric, feeling it. Hisana's face crossed his mind.

He turned his head up sharply, his eyes frantically searching for the man with the report.

"What happened here? What had happened to the person wearing this kimono?" He asked, his voice quiet and repressed.

The man looked back down at him, troubled. "Sir, the poor girl was unexpectedly caught up in the trouble," was all he said before Kaien turned his head away, unwilling to hear the rest of it.

He gathered the pile of clothes, his hands shaking.

"What about the infant?"

"The infant that was with her?" He elaborated when the man gave him a puzzled look.

"She took the child with her," the man replied, returning Kaien's hard look.

Kaien nodded.

For the first time in his life, helpless and angry at himself for failing again to protect, Kaien felt like crying.

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AN:**

Thank you everyone for reading this story, for your messages encouraging me to continue writing it and sharing with me your ideas! I am very sorry for this long absence from the community. After school has started, it was almost impossible for me to take the time off to write, and when I did have time, I was too tired to really think.

I am really glad that the Winter break has finally come, and I can now focus again on writing the story!

It pains me to have to subject Hisana to such trials and that life is going to be ever harder on her. It pains me that Kubo has to make the story between her and Byakuya so sad. But I suppose it is really the tragedy of their story, her brief yet impressive role in _Bleach_ that intrigue me, that draw me to her, that prompt me to write a story about her, hoping to give a voice to Hisana.

Anyway, enough of my rambling! Again, comments, reviews, suggestions would be most appreciated! Thank you once more for reading! :)

P.S. on future updates: I am unwilling to promise anything since the last time I did, I ended up not being able to fulfill it and left you guys without updates for more than half a year. But because it is now the holidays, I will try to update as much and as frequently as possible. If you don't hear from me, check out my profile. I will post about updates and my situation there.


	13. Chapter 12: Betrayed

**  
Lady Kuchiki**

_Chapter 12: Betrayed  
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Hisana shivered as a cold draft swept through the road, blowing up withered brown leaves scattered all over. She was on the road again, this time back towards where she had been trying to get away from. The thin, shabby yukata that hung on her figure now was loose and short, so immodest that Hisana flinched at every look thrown at her, and so thin that her body trembled involuntarily in the chilly night air.

---

She had been travelling on the wagon of an old peddler out of _Inuzuri_ with the hope of settling in a nicer district with Rukia. The little wagon had made stops in several districts, before turning into the forests that separated the South of Soul Society and the West side. When they reached the 30th district of West _Rukongai _on the fifth day of travelling, Hisana, pleased with the neat, quiet little town, decided to settle down there. She thanked the old peddler, gave him three more yen, and set off to explore the town and to find a place to settle in. An inn near the edge of the town agreed to take in Hisana and Rukia for the night. The innkeeper's wife had remarked Hisana's worn kimono, which looked like it had been very expensive and had been given out of charity to this tired looking girl by some nice rich lady; and the dirty little cloth that Rukia was covered in. She had commented this to her husband with a sympathetic click of her tongue and then forgotten about it when she busied herself with preparing for her lodgers' dinner.

It was around dinner time perhaps, when loud, rude knocks on the inn's door interrupted the lodgers' dinner. Before long, a group of rough looking men pushed their way into the inn, demanding for money, cruelly beating the first man who had stood up and asked who they were. The innkeeper was tied up next to the door, and the innkeeper's wife had started weeping, pulling out her box of savings and other valuables while one of the thieves kept a dagger pointed at the side of her throat. Hisana had escaped the dining room to the adjacent one, cowering in a corner when Rukia's terrified cries alerted the thieves of her hiding place. Two of the men took her out of the inn, tied her up, and were about to push her into a sack when a group of men in the black shinigami uniform appeared, surrounding the thieves and the inn. Some shouting ensued, which got louder and louder, and then gradually followed by drawn _katana_s and the clashing of metal. Hisana was immediately dropped to the ground, falling next to Rukia, whose cries added to the confusion of the scene.

Hisana's head was spinning, and her forehead hurt terribly from where she had hit the ground. She raised her head slightly after a while, and felt to her horror, a stream of warm, metallic smelling liquid running down the side of her face. She tried to get up, but with her hands and legs tied, she could only wiggle and turn her body.

She could see then from where she was the intense fighting that was going on between the shinigami and the thieves. The thieves were soon outnumbered, many of their men were either killed or badly injured. Hisana watched, cold with horror and fear, the men being systemically cut down. Suddenly, someone came from behind her and held her up, clasping his hand against her mouth and holding her out as a hostage. That did not, however, deter the _shinigami_ from coming forward. Hisana winced when she felt the blade of the man's katana dangerously close to her neck. But within seconds, there was a painful cry from behind her and the man's grip on her loosened. She fell forward onto the ground, with the man dropping with a heavy thud on her. Crushed by the man's weight, Hisana struggled to turn over and kick away the body on top of her. She screamed when she saw the man's lifeless eyes staring back at her, his mouth hanging slightly open from his cry of death. In vain, she had tried turning her face away, her tied up legs wildly pushing his body away, but her senses had gone numb from fatigue, fear, and the overwhelming smell of blood – her own blood that had plastered her hair to her face; the blood of the man that had spilled all over her; and the blood of the other fallen thieves on the ground nearby.

A hand helped her up, and she realized that her arms and legs were already untied. She was about to be led to a corner where the lodgers of the inn were seated, huddled together, when she remembered Rukia. With what remaining strength she had, she broke free and scanned the grounds for her sister. She spotted Rukia's pink bundle lying near the wheel of a cart and her blood froze as she got closer, when she saw that the pile of pink lying there was just the limb lifeless form of Rukia's blankets. She looked around again, and only breathed again when she spotted her sister sitting upright in a corner, looking slightly older than before, her hands clutching the dirt on the ground.

Hisana hurried over and picked up Rukia, musing over her increased weight and slightly larger form. She no longer looked like an infant, but a small toddler. The _shinigami_ who had followed Hisana then led her back to where the other lodgers were sitting.

As some of the _shinigami_s began taking away the thieves – the injured ones into the back of a wagon, and the dead ones to a corner, a few began questioning the lodgers one at a time, and asking for identification papers.

When it was Hisana's turn, she replied that she did not have any. The _shinigami _then narrowed his eyes and asked which town she was from and what she was doing here. Hisana, lacking in worldly experience, and still in a state of shock, answered honestly that she had come from _Rukongai_ South's 78th district, and that she had just arrived in this district to settle here. The _shinigami_'s tone then changed. He took her aside to where the thieves were being held and roughly handed her over to his colleague, muttering, "One more here."

A female _shinigami_ then came over, stripping Hisana of her kimono and searching her body. When she found Hisana's little pouch with her jewelries, she began questioning Hisana, in an intimidating tone – "What were your objectives in coming here? Where did you meet your accomplices?" When Hisana objected, finally realizing that she was being suspected by the _shinigami_, she felt a slap across her face. Hisana then pleaded with her interrogator, insisting on her innocence. Just as the _shinigami_ raised her hand again, threatening to land it painfully across her other cheek, a middle-aged looking _shinigami _walked up from behind her, calling a halt to her interrogator. He looked down at Hisana, narrowing his eyes. The innkeeper's wife came over as well, no doubt attracted by the commotion. Upon recognizing Hisana, she spoke in her defense, but was soon interrupted by the older _shinigami_,

"Why Madam, you are very kind indeed, to speak on this girl's behalf. But you must never trust tramps like this. They are very well trained in the art of deception, to take advantage of good folks like you." He said, looking down contemptuously at Hisana, who was confused and terrified, and despite shivering in the cold, night air, wearing only her undergarments, her face flushed and warm from the indignity she felt in being scrutinized like a wild animal on display.

The innkeeper's wife looked uncertainly from the _shinigami_ to Hisana, who, just a moment ago, had looked like a poor, harmless girl; but now, after the_ shinigami_'s warning and the mishap that had just fallen upon her husband's establishment, it was only natural that she should be affected by the general zealous suspicions and paranoia, and suddenly found Hisana's eyes a little too big and wide to be honest, and her face perhaps a little too sharp, like those poor, wild children that sometimes came in gangs to steal from the town. She frowned and looked down, stepping aside, feeling unsure now.

Hisana looked around at the people in front of her anxiously. She held on to Rukia tighter and took a step back.

"Please… please believe me… I came here with an old peddler this morning. I have nothing to do with the thieves. I am not an accomplice." She stammered, despite being afraid that another protest would lead to a fresh slap on her face again, but still unwilling to be misunderstood and falsely accused thus.

"You came here this morning with an old peddler? From the 78th district of South _Rukongai _eh?" The older shinigami asked. "And you have said that you planned to settle in this town." He related, leafing through the notes that the female _shinigami_ had passed to him. "Then by what means do you plan to make a living here? You can't just come into a town penniless and expect to rely upon its residents' charity to feed you and your child. You can't molest the town's residents for food and lodgment, or wander the streets the whole day like you do back in the slums where you come from!" The _shinigami_ exclaimed dramatically.

"I plan to sell my jewelries… I did not steal them. They were my possessions back in the living world." Hisana replied quietly, indignant that they would only be satisfied by stripping her down even further, prying into details and intimacies that they had no business with, laying them out open for their amusement.

"And these jewelries… are yours, you said?" The _shinigami_ asked, dipping his fingers into the pouch and fingering them, bringing up her ring and rubbing his thumb over the tip of the sapphire before letting it slide down his hand and back into the pouch.

He turned to Hisana with a sneer, "How would you prove these are yours, miss? Or that," he added, his face twisting uglily, "you didn't steal them?"

"I did bring these jewelries with me from the living world! The staff at the clinic of the 4th division for injured souls in _Seireitei_ can confirm this. I was there for a while before being sent to _Rukongai_! There's Aino Matsu san… and… oh and Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien too from the 13th division…"

"Shiba _fukutaicho_?" A younger _shinigami_ from behind Hisana's interrogator asked, looking interested. He edged slightly forward into the semi-circle that had formed around Hisana but immediately shrank back when the interrogating _shinigami_ turned to give him a look.

"Well my dear girl," the interrogator continued, turning back calmly, his gaze at Hisana sharp and cunning, "I am sure you must have met Shiba _fukutaicho_ and Aino Matsu san at some point before being sent over to _Rukongai_. But I am afraid you mustn't be so conceited as to think that they would want to bother themselves with your troubles. If you were indeed speaking the truth, I would gladly return your jewelries to you," He said, taking the pouch from the female _shinigami_, and making a gesture of restoring it into Hisana's shaky hands, "however, I would advise you, young lady, to stay away from trouble, and to return to where you come from. You have molested this town's residents enough."

Hisana's eyes widened at the unthinkable suggestion. "But sir, I beg you! Please! I don't want to go back there!" She cried. "Please let me stay here sir! Or I could move on to another town! Anything but going back there please!"

The _shinigami _raised an eyebrow and shrugged unsympathetically, looking down to leisurely examine his nails. "Why miss, we can't possibly let you wander around disrupting the peacefulness of other law-abiding citizens! And I am sure the residents here would all agree with me that they do not want a little tramp loitering around here with a fatherless child!" Hisana's eyes widened at that suggestion, her cheeks blushing with embarrassment. "Also," he added in a sugary voice, with a gleam in his eyes, "you must have a family that misses you a lot in the district where you came from! You running away like this has no doubt caused them unnecessary anguish and worry!"

Hisana knitted her brows, perplexed. "I am afraid I do not have family in the 78th district, sir." She said.

"Nonsense! All souls who come to Soul Society are assigned a family to stay with. Where were you originally dropped off at when you were first taken to _Rukongai_?"

Realization hit Hisana. She shook her head and bit her lips, refusing to speak.

"A rather obstinate child we have here, haven't we?" The _shinigami_ sneered. Pulling out a note from his pocket, he announced, "We have a report sent in by Madam Kinjo of the 78th district, _Rukongai_ South, that a girl by the name of XXX Rukia, assigned to her family by the 8th seat of the Soul Immigration Centre, Tamayama Ichiro, that is, myself, has yet to arrive." He glanced the horrified look on Hisana's pale face, suppressing a small smile, then continued, "Madam Kinjo is requesting that her dear child be sent back to her."

He now bent down, feigning a look of paternal concern at Hisana, and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "I understand rebellion at your age, my dear girl. But you mustn't cause your mother anymore trouble. Come, come, we will help bring you back." He put a hand on Hisana's head and turned to the female shinigami by his side, "Would you please call for my wagon and have Kanzaki come over?"

"But…" Hisana shook her head of the shinigami's hand instinctively, unwilling to have any form of contact with the man in front of her, "Madam Kinjo… she…" Hisana searched her head for a less offensive way to reveal the business that Kinjo ran.

"She is a most generous woman who takes in homeless girls like you. A truly charitable and outstanding individual." The _shinigami_, Tamayama declared, looking sternly at Hisana, as if inviting her to openly disagree.

Hisana shook her head, trembling.

"No…", was all she managed to whisper.

When she turned around and attempted to run, Tamayama planted a firm grip on her arm. She tried to pull away, her eyes sweeping over the people in front of her pleadingly.

Touched by the scene of a runaway child and aroused with maternal instincts, the innkeeper's wife stepped up. "Sir, Tamayama-sama, please let me at least wash the girl and give her a change of clothes before she leaves for home." She said, her voice shaking from her sense of civic duty and the excitement of taking upon herself the responsibility of an important job.

Tamayama beamed at her and replied courteously, "Of course Madam. Thank you very much for your kindness. You are indeed, as rumoured, a most exemplary citizen of this esteemed town." He gave the innkeeper's wife Hisana's arm, which she took gently, and led her towards the inn.

Hisana, now out of earshot of Tamayama, again tried to plead with the innkeeper's wife. "Madam, please let me go! I really cannot go back…"

The innkeeper's wife patted Hisana's face, smiling knowingly. "Hush now child! You must be still very confused and in shock from what had happened. You saw just now how dangerous it is to wander outside. You surely do want to return home to your family, don't you?"

"No madam, the woman that Tamayama-san talked about, she is not family. I don't know her at all… I…" But before Hisana could continue, the female _shinigami _that had been interrogating her came into the bathroom where they were. "Innkeeper-san, we must hurry. The wagon is waiting and we have a very tight schedule." The innkeeper's wife nodded, "There, there," she said to Hisana, "don't fidget about now! We are in a hurry to get you cleaned and ready to go here!"

"May I assist you at all?" The female_ shinigami _asked.

"Yes, that would really help!" The innkeeper's wife answered quickly. "I will attend to the infant, so if you could please help the young lady…"

The female _shinigami_ nodded and turned to Hisana. Without any word, she stripped Hisana and poured the lukewarm water from the tub over her thin body. Hisana shivered and sneezed. She gasped when the wound on her forehead responded painfully from contact with water. The _shinigami _then roughly scrubbed her back and washed her hair, pulling at it when she rubbed it dry with a towel. She was given a thin, old _yukata_ to wear. When the innkeeper's wife saw it, she protested, saying that it was too meager for a chilly night like this one. She offered to go find an old one that she could give away to Hisana, but the female _shinigami_ politely rejected it, repeating again that the wagon must leave. Hisana's forehead was hurriedly dressed and she was given a pair of old _zori_s at the door.

Two _shinigami_s saw Hisana to the wagon. She sat in a corner, huddling against Rukia, shivering. Her hair was damp and the roots felt frozen, numbing her head. The innkeeper's wife gave her two _origini_s and part of the money for the night's lodging. The wagon then set off without more ado. Hisana leant back against the side of the wagon. She sat up with alarm when she faintly heard Tamayama say to his subordinate, "… about the payment from Kinjo…"

But when she turned back to inquire about it, the wagon was already nearing the town's gate, and Tamayama was fading deeper and deeper into the night with distance.

---

Hisana could feel her body weigh down heavily, her heart beating fast and painfully against her chest, her mouth dry with fatigue. She could not remember now for how long it had been since the wagon had set off from West _Rukongai_ – her back ached from leaning against the hard, wooden hedge of the wagon, and her bottom was sore from the bumpiness of the road. The road, the trees, the night itself… everything seemed to be stretching on forever, a never ending repetitive motion that would implant itself in Hisana's head and haunt her dreams for the years to come.

She had tried to sleep a little, so that hopefully, when she awakes later, everything would dissolve and this night would be naught but an unfortunate nightmare. But after moments of frustrated shifting and turning, finding to no avail any comfort from the hard, bobbing floor of the wagon, she resigned to leaning against the hedge. She stared out into the dark, into the nothingness in front of her, her gaze perhaps as blank as what one could see in the unlit path that the wagon left behind.

When the wagon suddenly came to a halt, Hisana sat up straighter and looked behind her at the _shinigami_ driving the wagon. He had gotten out of his seat and had wandered behind the bushes, rubbing his bottom wearily and yawning as he went on his way.

Hisana gave a little sigh. She straightened her legs out and wiggled her toes, wincing a little at the painful sensation of stinging needles. She was more awake more, despite the heaviness and dread in her heart at the looming future that was to come closer with every gallop of the wagon's horses. She could no longer feel the cold in the air, her skin already numb from exposure, and the muscles in her face insensitive, frozen as well.

Before long, she could hear the rustling of leaves below footsteps, and then, the _shinigami _reappeared, adjusting the sash around his waist as he nonchalantly climbed back onto his seat. He raised the reins, and without delay, the horses started galloping again, continuing the journey.

**

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AN:**

More of Hisana's journey… Again, will be updating as frequently as I can. :)

Next chapter: "Escape"


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